The Various Shades of Shadow
by ThisLittlePiggyStayedHome
Summary: After being involved in a Death Eater attack over THE TOMB in Egypt, Ryou has become mixed up in a war that is not his own. And the Pharaoh, Tomb Keeper, and Priest HAVE to get involved. God save the wizarding world!
1. Chapter 1

Egypt.

Ryou had always found Egypt the most fascinating country of existence. Of course this had nothing to do with the fact that he had once been possessed with a ancient Egyptian spirit. Or because his best friend was Egyptian. Or because ancient Egyptians created shadow games with shadow magick. Or because he was the reincarnation...fine, maybe those did were a teensiest side of the reason! Happy now? Geeze.

Said best friend was yelling about something or another, but said best friend was always yelling about something or another and Ryou had instinctively ignored him.

"RYOOOOOOOOU!"

The Egyptian sun was blazing down out the window and the silken, rustling curtains brushed against his cheek. The velvet air smelt of incense and fire and scorching sand.

"RYOOOOOOOOOOOOU!"

Were there spirits out there now that he could not see? Gliding across those graveyards of sand...haunting with the purpose of revenge...

Ryou gave a little yelp as a blur of gold and purple crashed into him unexpectedly; knocking him to the ground.

He turned wide brown eyes to the figure sitting comfortably on top of him. Purple robes, blonde spiky hair, lavender eyes. Lurid purple robes. Ridiculously spiky blonde hair. Angry lavender eyes. HUGE SCOWL OF ANNOYANCE.

"Er...hi Marik?"

"Why weren't you answering me?" And there it was, the evil best-friend 'poor-me, hurt-and-angry-eyes'.

"Uh..." Ryou tried for a smile. It didn't affect Marik in the slightest. The smile faded. "I'm sorry."

Marik sighed and all the anger bled from his features in a moment. He released the white-haired youth from his death-grip, tackle-hold, and rolled off him. "I wasn't going to hurt you Ryou."

Ryou opened his mouth to say something - perhaps that he never even considered that Marik would hurt him, how that was the farthest thought from his mind - but nothing came out. He had been startled to hear Marik put his finger on the pulse of the problem.

"Anyway, I was trying to call you because Ishizu wants us to lead some tourists over to some tombs."

Ryou blinked. "I-I...Didn't know that it was still tourist season." He lifted a hand to scratch the back of his head; fully appreciating Marik's change of the subject.

Marik's lavender eyes narrowed in a cat-like manner as he spoke. "That's just the thing. I know Ishizu says 'its always tourist season' and all that crap, but no-one, and I mean NO ONE, has ever asked specifically for a guide through that tomb."

Ryou froze. He knew exactly what tomb Marik was talking about and felt ultimately as suspicious as Marik sounded.

"Who are they? What are their names? Do we know them at all? Are they dangerous?"

Marik grinned unexpectedly. "All the right questions, Ryou! Now you need to help me find the answers!" he grabbed Ryou by the sleeve and dragged him at easy-to-trip-over-a-flat-pencil speed before Ryou had even the notion of protesting.

"Wait, wait MARIK!" Best friend stopped suddenly, causing Ryou to crash right into him. Of course they had to be on the stairs at that particular moment.

Boom. Bam. Boom. Bam. Boom. Bam. Boom. Bam. CRUNCH.

Ryou ended up mostly-above Marik in a tangle of limbs, and what was felt like the metamorphosis of a migraine.

He lifted his head feebly and his blurred vision began to sharpen.

Woman's shoes. Woman's ankles. Woman's skirt. Woman's torso with hand-on-hips. Woman's face...

"Ishizu!" squeaked Ryou.

Scowl faded briefly.

"Honestly," she pulled him up with some difficulty. Although she huffed a little, she didn't seem especially angry. Ryou always wondered about Ishizu...

"I think I broke something," moaned her brother, from his position on the ground.

"Growing pains," said Ishizu sweetly, ignoring the tanned hand that reached for assistance.

"In my head!" shrieked Marik, jabbing said body-part and wincing thereafter.

"I certainly hope so," said his sister with a sugary poison in her voice and evil triumph in her eyes, "a wonderful day for us all! Let us celebrate the birth of Marik's first braincell!"

Ryou couldn't help it. It kind of slipped out.

He giggled.

Marik stared at him, for this traitorous display of betrayal, and then turned on Ishizu with a battle-cry; planning on destroying her perfectly-brushed black hair...

Only he had forgotten the state he was in after falling down stone steps. He crumpled on the floor; moaning in pain. This time the incoherent jumble involved a foot.

Ryou laughter died as he tried to help him up, but it looked like something was wrong with Marik's ankle.

"Ishizu," he began with a slight tremor. "I don't think Marik can walk like this."

Marik's sister was looking a very little bit worried. "Idiot," she whispered gently to her brother, as she helped Ryou carry him to the couch.

"But," Marik protested. "I have to take those tourists to...OW!" his ankle was jerked again on accident.

"Nonsense!" snapped Ishizu. "I'll do that."

Ryou made a quick calculation and then interjected bluntly. "I'll do it."  
>"What?" the siblings turned to him. Their faces had gotten so close while they were arguing that this caused their skulls to collide; eliciting more than one curse-and-groan.<p>

Ryou breathed deeply and explained. "I know the tombs fairly well-" ("FAIRLY WELL?" snorted Marik, "You have the hidden passages and beaten passages so ingrained into you skull as to-") Ryou glared at Marik with Ishizu( who had the decency to listen to Ryou's argument) and continued. "So it should be no problem for me to lead a couple of tourists around. And then Ishizu can get someone to look at your ankle and continue on with her actual job."  
>The siblings blinked.<p>

Ishizu looked at Ryou appraisingly. Marik's eyes narrowed. He was not as stupid as he often appeared. He was actually very intelligent when he bothered to be so.

Then Ishizu gave a curt nod, and walked out of the room for a phone. Marik hissed Ryou over and gripped his wrist.

"What. Are. You. Doing?"

"Call the Pharaoh. Have him summon Mystic Elf when she's," he motioned to the door where Ishizu had just made her exit, "not looking. We have some detecive work to do."

A moment of narrowed eyes and then Marik nodded. And then Marik grinned, and Ryou did not feel as comfortable as he had been a moment before.

"Know anything about these tourists?" he asked the Egyptian boy nervously.

"Nope," said Marik cheerfully. And then he became serious once more. Actually Marik was always serious. He had this foolishly-happy facade but it was not staying put right now. Whenever anything related to his former Yami came up, it fell a little. And though Marik had grinned, he was a little scared of talking to the Pharaoh since...since...

"Ask Ishizu. And be careful." Dead serious. Marik was dead serious.

Ryou nodded, trying to look calm, and went into the other room. Ishizu was just putting the phone back down on the reciever.

"Who are they?" he asked after a moment.

"Who?" Ishizu looked tired. There were dark rings under her eyes, and she let a sigh from her mouth flutter her dark hair. She sounded confused with the question.

"The...the tourists."  
>"Oh," she gave a odd laugh, "they're not really tourists, Bakura." Ryou winced a little at the name.<p>

"They're archaeologists and professors from England, I believe. And it's possible," she made an odd little grimace as though she were reluctant to add this, "It's possible that your father is with them."

Time froze. The world spun around Ryou's head.

Years. It had been years since he had seen, or even gotten any news of his father. He had almost given up hope. Now he could understand Ishizu's reluctance to speak. And now he understood why she had wanted him to join Marik in leading these foreigners through the tomb. She had known that if his father wasn't there, it wouldn't make a difference, and if his father was there...he would see him.

Ryou felt a surge of warmth towards her.

"I...I see." his voice had become strangely calm. But his hands were shaking.

Ishizu looked a little apprehensive. "Are you alright."

"I'm fine - just fine." he choked. Blinked.

"I'll go."

"No, it's fine. He's likely not there. I'll be alright."

Ishizu looked at him doubtfully. The long white hair, the pale skin - highly unusual for one who had been under the Egyptian sun - the soft brown eyes that were brimming with determination.

"Alright."  
>"Who's leading the," he gave a little laugh, "expedition."<br>Her brows crinkled. "I believe it's one Bill Weasely."


	2. Chapter 2

/mind to mind/

*Egyptian*

^Japanese^

&a change of perspective&

* * *

><p>The hot desert sand skidded around Ryou's sandals. He wore a pale white robe that rustled around his ankles lightly; making him look even more ethereal and ghostly against the rich Egyptian background.<p>

They would be here soon. Ishizu had said so, and Ishizu was not a vague person.

Ryou felt his lips curl into an unfamiliar smirk. Bakura smirked, but Ryou did not. These archeologists would not enter the room with the tablet. It was odd that Ishizu was taking it all so calmly. They had to be trouble if they inquired specifically into this matter. But no matter. They were very much mistaken if they thought that he would make it easy for them.

And then the jeeps drove up. Ryou's robe swirled with the desert sand as he watched; his face a mask of integrity.

His father...his father might be on one of those jeeps...

No. It was a rumor; likely untrue. There was no point in getting his hopes up.

And one of the men jumped out of the jeep. He was young. Must have been in his twenties.

Ryou's eyes narrowed. He did not look like an archaeologist.

He had flaming red hair in a ponytail and wore what looked like black leather. Although it made him look rather fashionable...

He must be sweating out of his skin, thought Ryou dryly. He felt the cold, polite indifference that one feels for a potential enemy.

It was not like him.

The man looked around, before widening his eyes at the sight of him and approaching.

*Hullo?* the man asked, jogging over. *Can you tell me where the Ishtar residence is?*

Ryou blinked coolly. The man spoke decent Egyptian, but it was obviously not his first language.

He did not reply. He merely observed the man with cool detachment.

The man looked uneasy. *I...uh...* He looked back to the jeep where others had climbed out, as if for some help.

Ryou's eyes scanned the newcomers. No. He did not see his father among them. Of course he wasn't there. He had known it all along.

Why, then, did it hurt so much?

Another man approached him. He was also wearing western clothes and a camera swung from where it hung around his neck. He spoke in excellent Egyptian. *Ishtar residence?*

Ryou declined to speak. His eyes swept over the group one more time before he locked eyes with the redhead.

"You are Bill, I am sorry, Mr. William Weasely?"  
>The other man spluttered a little to hear the perfect English, complete with an Oxford accent, coming from Ryou.<p>

"Yes," he said tentatively. "Bill," he added automatically.

"Ishizu Ishtar requested me to escort you to the tomb as a guide," he inclined his head in the respective direction. "If you will follow me...?"  
>The other men came over then. They did not look like professors or archaeologists in the slightest. They wore western clothing, in what he assumed to be the height of fashion, and were the oddest assortment of people he had met, besides those at Battle City. Only the man with a camera looked normal in the slightest.<p>

Ryou tilted his head to the side and let a scrap of his goodness surface. "Are you sure about dressing in that manner? You will overheat for certain."

"Who are you!" demanded one of the men in obvious surprise. English. Yes, the lot of them.

"He's our guide," said for-mentioned Bill Weasley, seeming to be rather astonished by the fact.

"But..." the man spluttered, "You're a child."

Ryou blinked non-commitally. He had the desperate urge to roll his eyes and say: "I've noticed that" but he held himself together and said: "I know the tombs well. Do you think the Ishtar family would let me guide if I didn't have the experience?"

He turned on his heel. "If you'll follow me please," and set off without a reply. By the scuffling behind him, they were following.

Some of them were muttering about his rudeness.

At any other time, Ryou Bakura would have felt incredibly guilty about being a little short with them, but not now. They were possible enemies...and...and...

Ryou felt a strange ache. His father wasn't here...his father wasn't coming...why did he care so much? What did it matter?

He squeezed his hands into tight fists.

Father...

&Bill Weasley&

Bill Weasley had not expected to be sent to Egypt again. He and Fleur had been getting along quite nicely, but then, Dumbledore had said that he did not have to be here long. It was a mission of the utmost importance, Dumbledore had said.

Something about this tomb was important. Bill just had to find out what.

With his experience in Egypt, and being already known - albeit vaguely - to the Ishtar clan, it was understandable why he had been the candidate. Most of the men with him were friends of Dumbledore who were not quite willing to come out into the open about it now that Dumbledore and the ministry weren't the best of friends.

Bill had had an uneasy feeling about all of this, and when he leapt off the jeep (awesome things, muggle cars) he had half-expected no one to be there.

And then - he had caught sight of a ghost. A ghost! It took a moment before he realized that it was a young boy, perhaps fifteen years old, with skin of unusual pallor, white hair, and dark eyes. Albino, he guessed.

Anyway, he was the only one here, and it was worth a try to ask him directions to the Ishtars.

Although they had said that they would meet him here, he thought a little crossly.

When the attempts at Egyptian failed, Bill was sweating (and it wasn't because of what he was wearing, he had put a cooling spell upon his clothes). His Egyptian was up to par. Why did the boy just stare at him? Was he mute?

And then, when Alfred Wiltershire came over with his ready-translation-spell and perfect pronunciation, the boy spoke ENGLISH. With an Oxford accent. The boy's unemotional tone set him on edge, and it didn't help that the boy was eyeing him with something that was closer to suspicion than curiosity.

It was nothing less than astonishing that the Ishtars had sent a child to guide them through the tomb. Or maybe the boy was just to lead them there. Yes, he had not said anything about entering the tomb.

The boy was odd, to say the least. He was quite cold, and suddenly a little concerned, before rude again. But maybe he was just having a bad day. Bill decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

After all, even mild-mannered Mr. Weasley could glare on a bad day.

The boy was probably uncomfortable with strangers. He seemed rather introverted.

Bill lengthened his stride to catch up to the strangely quick-moving teenager. They had been walking for a while in silence. Silence didn't suit him.

"What is your name?" Bill was beside him now. He tried for a polite tone.

"Ryou," said the boy lightly, omitting his last name. He paused, and then smiled at Bill suddenly. "I am sorry, I have not been very polite. I am a little anxious as my friend injured himself and could not join me in escorting you."

Bill immediately felt warmth towards the youth as he apologized. Not a ghost, Bill realized. Ryou had an incredibly innocent smile and looked like a front-page angel.

"No problem," Bill said lightly, before saying: "Ryou? That doesn't sound Egyptian."

Ryou laughed lightly, startling the wizards behind him. "It's not. I am not Egyptian by blood. I am half-Japanese."

Bill lifted his eyebrows. "The other half?"  
>"English," he replied, confirming Bill's suspicions. "I lived there when I was younger. First language, I believe."<p>

"You speak many languages?" asked Alfred Wiltershire from behind them.

Ryou stiffened slightly. Alfred had probably startled him. "English, Egyptian, Japanese, and German."

Bill felt his jaw unhinge. "And you are how old?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Fifteen," said Ryou calmly. And then they were at the entrance, and Ryou paused, and hesitated before he asked: "There was supposed to be a Professor Bakura on this expedition, was there not?"

Bill paused. Dumbledore had mentioned something about a Professor Bakura, but it was very vague. Some muggle archeologist that wanted to study the tomb, but had been charmed to go at a different time.

"I...I believe he postponed the trip," said Bill.

Ryou blinked, and nodded.

"Do you know him?"

Ryou did not answer, but instead said: "Would you like to enter?" He motioned toward the entrance to the tomb.

"Isn't there supposed to be a guide?"

Ryou looked at him reproachfully, "I am your guide. I must warn you, though, this tomb is very dangerous. There are many who enter and never come out. I have had no trouble, but you mustn't lose me and get lost down there," there was a gravity to his tone that reminded Bill, oddly enough, of Lupin.

"Of course," the wizards chorused.

"Do you wish to go down now or set up camp?"

"Now is good," said Bill, stretching onto the balls of his feet. He looked with interest at this 'important tomb'. It did not look like the other tombs he had seen. A little more fancy maybe, but that didn't necesarily mean anything.

He wondered why no tourists were hovering eagerly around.

Ryou seemed to read his mind. "This site is normally closed off. The Ishtars, however have generously allowed you to proceed."

"Are you related to the Ishtars, however vaguely," asked Bill with some unknown amusement.

Ryou shuddered. "Related to the Ishtars," the white-haired boy took a great gulp of air, "now that would be a fate worse then death."


	3. Chapter 3

Again I remind you,

/mind to mind/

*Egyptian*

^Japanese^

&a change of perspective&

Oh and if anyone was wondering, I add 'k' to 'magic' only for the Shadow mages. It's simply 'magic' for wizards, because they don't use invoking/ summoning spirits.

Another thing, Bill Weasley will not be a main character in this story. He will, however, be in it for many of the first chapters. That is all, I think.

* * *

><p>Ryou felt that strange sense of nostalgia he always felt upon entering this particular tomb. The men behind him were looking around curiously as they followed. The stones were cold and dank against their fingers. One of them pulled a face, shaking dust and spiders from his hand, after getting said appendage tangled in a mass of pale cobwebs.<p>

Ryou dutifully began to recite: "The Tomb of the Pharaoh Atemu, son of Pharaoh Aknamkanon. Guarded by the clan of Ishtar for the last three millenia."

He blew a little at the cobweb that fluttered down in front of him, shifting the torchlight. There were so many cobwebs. Pale and spidery, they fell in masses everywhere.

Ryou brushed the thick dust off a segment of the stone wall. The impressed hieroglyphs were thereupon revealed. He heard the men scuffling around him.

"Here is the forshadowing of the great tragedy that befell Kemet," Ryou let his pale hand ghost across the familiar images set in the stone. He decided to be vague. Vague was always safe.

Then his voice grew more down-to-earth. "Be careful what you step on. The tomb has many hidden death traps."

He was startled by a voice that came from right behind him. "What tragedy?"

The man with deep-set eyes and sloping forehead had not introduced himself. His accent was unusual. Bulgarian, if Ryou was correct.

"The plague," said Ryou softly, staring at the markings. He wasn't really lying, he told himself. In a moment of well-regretted-never-to-be-ever-done-again, pure-hearted generosity, Pharaoh had called Bakura a plague. Ryou hated lying, but, it must be admitted, was very good at telling half-truths. "And the death of the pharaoh," he added, as if in after thought.

"What of the curse?" asked the Bulgarian man sharply. The others snapped to attention at once.

Ryou blinked. "Curse?" He tilted his head to the side innocently.

Bill Weasley had narrowed his eyes and was regarded the albino with speculation. "Curse?"

"The curse said to be within this tomb, cast in the guise of stone," said the Bulgarian man, straining for a reaction.

Ryou blinked again. Then his eyes widened. "Oh, you mean the fall of Osiris."

Alfred Wiltershire's eyes snapped open to their widest extent. "Not the..."

Bill Weasley was lost. He looked carefully from one to the other. Then he looked at the others, who shrugged. They were obviously as clueless as he was.

After a moment of intense silence, Alfred cleared his throat and turned to Bill. "It's death. Death for the person who enters the coffin-chamber. They shall be dragged into the sarcophagus and-"

"And," said Ryou in a blank, dazed sort of voice, "be consumed by the jaws of Death himself."

There was a silence, in which they all stared at him with a mixure of awe and terror.

He flushed; cheeks turning a pale pink, and averted his gaze. "I suppose you wanted to hear that to start with, I'm sorry." He nudged a loose stone on the floor with his sandaled foot. "But it really is all just superstition."

Liar, he told himself. The torch's flame licked at his hand.

"Let us move on," he said quickly, walking farther into the darkness ahead.

He could not understand who these people were...what they wanted...why they wanted...

Ryou ducked his head a little lower. Everything was fine. He was just leading some extreme oddballs down through dark tunnels where no one would see them and making sure they did not enter the chamber with the tablet - or the chamber with the sarcophagus, for that matter. And hope they didn't kill him. Yeah. That was somewhere in his list.

&Bill Weasley&

As soon as he entered the tomb, Bill felt a rush of magic from his surroundings. He was pretty sure that even if he hadn't been a cursebreaker, he would have still noticed the onslaught. The air seemed to be saturated in it.

When Ryou had mentioned, in a very down-to-earth tone, deathtraps, Bill had immediately thought of instances from before - when he had removed curses from tombs with complicated spells - and thought on ways to be prepared. This was not a normal tomb.

He was interested to hear about the tragedy, but the plague seemed kind of normal for that time. It was when Nicholaj had mentioned a curse, that he really tuned in. Ryou had not mentioned any curse...that was odd.

It was with a green face that he had realized the insinuations of the curse, and Ryou's hesitance. The strange thing was, the boy almost seemed wistful when he said it was all just superstition.

As they walked on, the magic seemed to grow thinner and denser in certain parts.

"Don't step on the floor there," Ryou grabbed the arm of one of the wizards who had ventured to look into another chamber. "The floor falls in," he explained.

It was not until they were farther in, that Bill suddenly felt a wave of magic so powerful it nearly knocked him off his feet. It was coming from ahead. He lengthened his strides.

Closer and closer. Then Ryou turned abruptly through a tunnel on their left. "This way," he said. calling over his shoulder.

No, Bill turned back to the direction from which the magic undulated. It was from behind large...were those golden embossed doors? Was it possible that Ryou couldn't even see them? It didn't matter. He walked toward them, ignoring the others who had followed Ryou down the tunnel.

He'd be fine. He had experience with Egyptian curses. And he had to know...

Bill Weasley turned the door handle and pushed it open. Euphoria. but it was not over, the alabaster walls were covered with carvings that practically reeked of powerful sorcery. And then there was a door beyond this. This was the only object between him and knowing.

His finger's carressed the gold as he made to push...and a hand gripped his wrist.

"What do you think you're doing?" it was Ryou and his brown eyes were blazing.

Bill stared at him. So he could see the entrance...

"That's the coffin-chamber!" the boy hissed. He was not angry, Bill realized with some bewilderment, but scared for him.

That was when he felt another presence in the room, and he immediately ducked to the side, mid-turn.

"Weasley, well, well, well." Black cloaks. Figures in black cloaks. Against the dusty cobwebbed chamber, that Bill had not immediately recognized as such, they seemed oddly at home.

Death Eaters.

He immediately retrieved his wand. There were at least half a dozen Death Eaters, but only one Bill Weasley. He was not in a good position.

"Your friends are being taken care of as we speak," said a cold voice that might have been Malfoy's.

"Poor, poor Weasley," giggled a woman's voice. Bellatrix. "Poor dead friends."

Why had they not killed him yet?

"Move away from that door. Both of you."

Ah, so they were after it too. It was odd how clearly he was thinking in this hazardous, death-like situation.

Strangely enough, Ryou had not blurted out: "Who are you?" or "What are you doing here?" He also seemed to be taking the situation remarkably well. Or he was in shock.

They turned to someone behind them. "Open it."

A man with stepped forward. He was shaking with terror. A fragment of Bill's brain jumped up in astonishment at the sight of the man's blue hair.

"NO!" Ryou yelled, leaping forward. But the odd man with blue hair had already pushed open the door. A Death Eater turned and shot a spell at Ryou.

"Avada Kedevera," had nearly grazed the edge of Ryou's elbow.

This was when Bill realized that he was about to die and ducked, just as he saw a Death Eater emerge from the entrance to the chamber, a huge stone tablet floating beside his head.

"Stupify!" yelled Bill as a death spell sparked above his ear. Someone thudded to the floor. Their wand made a scuffling noise as it rolled slowly across the ground. If the bastards were going to kill him, he might as well put up a good fight. Sparks flew from his wand as he rapidly sent curses their direction.

Everything happened so quickly. Ryou had rushed to the doorway, and then there was someone inside the chamber screaming. Bill turned and saw the coffin fastening upon the man with blue hair...

He saw the spells launched at a horrified Ryou. In that odd moment, he took in everything about the boy. The startled doe-like eyes, the unnatural pallor of his skin, the mouth half-opened in a silent scream, the dark blood dripping from his fingers, the red flash that lit his eyes...

He wouldn't move in time, Bill realized. He would be killed.

In that same instant, the wand that had been rolling - as if in slow motion - touched Ryou's foot.

All hell broke loose. The very air exploded and shadows swirled around the room. The spells that would have killed him shattered in mid-air.

Bill did not hesitate, did not even think about what he was doing. He lunged across the chamber and grabbed Ryou's arm a split second before apparating.

* * *

><p>REVIEW! The others (Kaiba, Yugi and Yami, and the lovable Marik) will probably be in the next chapter. Chapters come faster when people REVIEW! REVIEW OR BAKURA WILL REMOVE YOUR SOUL!<p>

Bakura: I'm not even able to possess my wimpy yadonushi at the moment *curses*


	4. Chapter 4

Again I remind you,

/mind to mind/

*Egyptian*

^Japanese^

&a change of perspective&

Okay, just to make this clear, Ryou, Kaiba (i daren't call him seto), Marik, and Yugi are all roughly the same age. I know in the actual story ryou is sixteen, and yuugi is like sixteen or fifteen, and Kaiba is like eighteen, but I've CHANGED all that. (because if I was rigidly sticking to the plot of the anime, Harry Potter would likely never be involved unless someone was throwing the book at someone else for a random spilt second...am I rambling, yes I am rambling)

Birthdays as I see them:

Ryou Bakura: September 2 (turning sixteen then)

Marik Ishtar: December 23 (turning sixteen then)

Seto Kaiba: October 25 (turning sixteen. ha, I made him YOUNGER THAN THE OTHER TWO. er...no Marik's still younger...never mind.)

Yuugi Motou: June 4, (just turned fifteen)

Mokuba Kaiba: July 7, (just turned eleven)

* * *

><p>Yami! If you'll stop having imaginary sex with Anzu you'll realize that he's asking for you!/ yelled Yugi through his mind link.

A vaguely transparent figure in shiny leather with many belts and buckles appeared in front of his doppleganner with tri-coloured hair.

/I'M NOT HAVING ANY SORT OF SEXUAL INTERACTION WITH HER!/ the former Pharaoh seethed.

/Oh,/ said Yugi, twinkling evilly, brandishing the telephone like a highly-dangerous weapon /so it's a HE, then?/  
>Yami's shape-shifting abilities seemed solely confined to tomatoes. He took over the body and answered the phone without another word.<p>

Yugi was giggling so hard at Yami's expression that he couldn't hear what Marik was saying.

^What? Ryou? I see. We'll be right there.^ Yami hung up. Dark haunted eyes turned to him. /Ryou was leading some people through my...the tomb. He's been missing for eight hours../

/What?/ Yugi sat up in his soul room. /Who was he leading? Were they after the tablet? We need to find him right now!/

/Of course we're going to find him/ Yami was in front of him in their soul room, hugging him. Yuugi sank into the embrace. /Now, we need a speedy flight to Egypt willing to leave the moment we ask. Now where will we find that?/

The yami and hikaru locked eyes and grinned at each other.

* * *

><p>^No!^ deadpanned Seto Kaiba, pointing a intimidating index finger. Really, only the CEO could make a index finger seem like a shiver-inducing menace. ^I don't care if Marik has a 'hunch' or you are worried, or even if weeping dandelions of doom are attacking imaginary rainbow ponies in the cheerful marshmallow woods of Lord Licorice. I am not taking you to Egypt on my Blue Eyes Jet for no good reason, Yugi Motou. Especially,^ he added, eyes gaining a sharp, dangerous, maniacal gleam, ^when I am preparing for an important conference!^<p>

His fist connected briefly with the desk in front of him.

Yugi immediately took over. ^Ryou's been kidnapped and we need to get him back!^

The teenage billionaire leaned back in his wheelie chair (Author: wheelie chairs are AWESOME and villains would not be the same without them; wheelie chairs are what screw up their braincells and make them villains; don't believe me. Practice plotting on one. I know, I do it every day. *spins* Mwahahaha), steepled his fingers, and raised one stoic eyebrow. ^What proof do you have that he's been kidnapped? He probably decided to run away from the Ishtars,^ here his blue eyes flashed in the light as he turned away and began to type rapidly on his shiny silver laptop, ^Only Ma'at knows why he hasn't done it before!^

Yami froze. He took over and spoke cautiously. ^Did you just use an Egyptian deity in place of where normal people put 'god'?^ A grin of unadulterated glee seemed to be rippling across his face.

This time Seto Kaiba froze. Alas, Yami was not to hear what was probably an epic retort with a violence rate of 18+, because at that moment a blur of long-haired, eleven-year-old energy leapt into the room and yelled: ^Nii-samma! The teacher says-^ he paused, ^Yuugi? Yami?^ Then suddenly he jumped at Yami, hugging him with a affectionate death-grip.

There was a thumping noise, and Yami turned to see that the bag that had flown out of his hands had somehow managed to tackle Kaiba's face to the floor. It had split in the process, knocking several golden things upon the floor.

The CEO rose, lightning crackling in his eyes. A bruise was forming on his forehead. ^Yuugi Motou...^ he whispered in a low, dangerous voice. Quite suddenly a shadow of confusion passed his brow. His eyes narrowed. ^Why are there two of you?^  
>Mokuba stared. Yami stared. Spirit Yuugi burst into a fit of giggles.<p>

^Stop laughing!^ snapped Kaiba, glaring at the transparent figure of Yuugi. He positioned himself at his sleek laptop and continued to type with extra gusto.

Mokuba and Yami looked at each other with gaping mouths. ^You mean to tell me,^ said Yami slowly, ^that you can see both of us?^ He grinned widely, ^So you see, we weren't lying...^

Kaiba's eyes did not stray from his screen. ^I was hit rather hard on the head,^ here his eyes grew colder and bluer still, ^and now I'm having hallucinations as an after effect.^

Mokuba's eyes were huge. ^You can see both of them! Unfair!^ his eyes darted to the floor and the split bag. ^Are those the items? Nii-sama, why do you have one in your hand.^

Kaiba glanced down, startled when he realized that he was, indeed, holding the golden item he had seen last in Yami Marik's hand. What's more, it was glowing. Then the glow faded and a strange tingle went up the CEO's arm.

A slow grin simultaneously crossed three faces. ^Well Kaiba,^ said Yami slyly. ^It really does look like you're the reincarnation of the High Priest. It appears that the Sennen Rod has chosen you. Congratulations.^

Mokuba expressed his feelings by doing a little fist pump in the air and indulging in a two second happy-dance (chanting something that sounded suspiciously like: shadow mage, ooh haha) , while a transparent Yuugi giggled unrestrained on the floor.

Kaiba watched them all with narrowed eyes. He looked determinedly away from Yuugi's transparent form that was now, in what he considered an act of utter childishness, making faces at him.

^So what are you here for anyway?^ asked Mokuba, coughing on his laughter, and turning from his older sibling's scowl. He was not anxious to anger his brother too much.

Yami and Yuugi became serious in an instant. ^Ryou's gone missing. We need to go to Egypt.^

Mokuba's eyes flashed. He spun around to his older brother, who, oddly enough, had still not dropped the Sennen Rod.

^Well what are we waiting for then? Come on Nii-sama.^

^My conference...^ said Kaiba, making the mistake of looking his brother in the eye.

^Can be re-scheduled,^ snapped Mokuba. ^We are going after Ryou now.^ He emphasized this with a jab of his finger in his older brother's chest.

^It isn't hard to see who wears the pants here,^ said Yami to Yuugi in a very audible stage whisper.

^Hn,^ said Seto Kaiba in the Pharaoh's direction. ^At least I didn't travel across Japan to buy him a specially-made chocolate panda bear swinging a hula-hoop because 'he was doing those teary-eyes'.^

Yuugi stared from Kaiba to Yami.

Yami blushed and mumbled incoherently about manipulative children with adorable eyes.

Mokuba bustled them crisply towards the Kaiba's private jet. It was now that his resemblance to his brother was most striking.

Within half-an-hour, they were taking off for Egypt.

Yami and Yuugi had a private discussion about the Sennen Rod and how it now appeared to be attached to Kaiba, but in the end they both agreed that he should keep it with him, at least for now.

Right now, Yugi and Yami were reclining in the plush seats of the jet and, via mind-link, were discussing the likelihood of this all being a prank set up by Marik. They discarded the idea. Marik had sounded as if he was upon breaking point, and he would not throw mention of the tomb in for a simple prank.

Seto Kaiba was silent; probing Mokuba with his eyes before speaking.

^So Mokuba,^ said Seto Kaiba, ^What did the teacher say?^

Yami blinked. Oh yes, when the boy had leapt into the room, he had mentioned something about the teacher.

^Oh,^ said the young Kaiba, ^nothing of importance.^

His elder brother arched an eyebrow.

Mokuba coughed and avoided his eyes. ^Okay, so she got a little angry because we had a disagreement on a small matter, what of it?^

The eyebrow arched further.

^What I mean to say is, whether she does or does not have three large stacks of porn hidden carefully in her desk hardly has anything to do with rescuing Ryou-^

^MOKUBA!^

^-and it was an honest mistake. I didn't mean to sound harsh, when I told her that the unattractive lines under her eyes were the sad after-effects of her overindulging in heroine-^

Kaiba covered his now-bulging eyes with his hand. ^After we drag Ryou back to the mental residence of Ishtars," he said through gritted teeth, "I am going to kill you myself.^

Yami and Yuugi exchanged glances. /wow, they are far more similar then I realized/ ^Kaiba?^

^Hn.^

^Can I borrow your phone.^

^Hn.^

^To call Jounouchini and assure him of your unwavering affections for him.^

^Hn.^

^And to tell him how you desperately want to rip off his clothes and ravish him every time you meet, but dreaded protocol insists otherwise.^

^Hn.^

^And how you want to give him your Blue-Eyes cards as a mark of your utter adoration.^  
>^WHAT?^<br>Upon hearing key-words 'give' in the same sentence as 'Blue-Eyes cards', two sets of eyes that had been steadily out-staring each other whipped around. Yuugi disappeared inside his soul room, giggling.

/TRAITOR!/ thought Yami loudly. He smiled uneasily at the duo. Meeting one Kaiba's glare was bad enough, but two was downright terrifying.

They did not return the smile.

And he could still hear Yuugi laughing in the background at his predicament.

* * *

><p>Mokuba: why is everyone looking at me?<p>

Kaiba *sarcastically* : I wonder?

Ryou: great. I'm kidnapped by a 'good' wizard after being attacked by 'bad' wizards, and my father is presently getting eaten alive by a COFFIN, and you are all just goofing around?

Silence.

Marik: Well, hey. We don't exactly know that.

Yami Marik: yeah, you could be like dead or something.

Yami *hissing*: you're not HELPING!


	5. Chapter 5

Again I remind you,

/mind to mind/

*Egyptian*

^Japanese^

&a change of perspective&

If the readers wish for certain things to happen in this story, make your wishes known. I might be able to incorporate them. Then again, I might not. I already have the story-line prepared. There's no use getting upset about it. If you're grumpy then say so. If you have criticisms, SPEAK. That will mean you ARE REVIEWING, which is much appreciated :D.

Yami: Can't we just get on with the story.

Yuugi: Don't interrupt the author!

Yami Marik: when do I come in...wait, do I even come in? *terrified*  
>Marik *points and laughs*.<p>

Ryou: I want to know if I'm still alive. And what about my father?

Yami Bakura: who cares about that twerp! Am I going to be free again?

Mokuba: Shut it you all, we need to help Ryou! Isn't that right, Nii-sama?

Seto: Hn.

* * *

><p>The world dissolved around Ryou. He was rushing through a tube that was filled with needles. A heavy pressure was on his arm. This was nothing like shadow traveling. There were stars beneath his eyelids. He couldn't breathe...couldn't breathe...<p>

Ryou landed on a hard floor. Black spots filled his vision, briefly blotting out the stars, before he felt the familiar pull - like being forcibly dragged from the ocean floor - and he was pulled back to consciousness.

He must have been out for only a few seconds, because the red-headed man next to him was still holding his arm. His muscles ached beneath the grip. There were figures all around them talking. The man was replying hastily, gulping air into his lungs. There was a cracking sound and several people vanished on the spot.

Bill...the man's name was Bill...Bill Weasley, yes that was it. For several moments every thought in his head was vague and overlapping, before he was struck with the feeling of a pin-point on his brain and he remembered clearly.

He quickly tried to stand up, but stumbled, bringing everyone's attention to him at once.

There was a plump woman with hair just as red as Bill's, who immediately rushed towards him. The man who held her back had a strange, bright-blue eye that was spinning in his head. There were sticks in their hands. They were speaking in English.

"Careful Molly, he could be dangerous!" his eye was examined Ryou as if he was a ticking bomb.  
>The woman gave him a disapproving look and pulled away. "He's a <em><span>child<span>_ Alastor!" she rushed over beside him and carefully began to pull him to his feet.

Ryou froze. His father was in the coffin still. How could he have left his father to be eaten alive? "No!" he said loudly, squirming in her grasp. "I have to go back." Wild eyes turned to Bill. "Take me back! He's in the coffin!" He shook the staring red-head, whose eyes widened.

The man who appeared to be named 'Alastor' looked from one to the other. "Going into shock, I see." There was sympathy in his tone. The type of sympathy one feels when one cannot entirely relate.  
>"Ah..." said Bill in a strangled voice. "the man was dragged into the coffin..."<br>There was wetness on his face, Ryou realized. I've been crying. I am crying. "You have to take me back, my father..."

Bill's eyes widened further. "They've gone after him, don't worry." He placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder, intending to comfort, but Ryou pulled away from the contact. Bill flinched and looked in a sort of despair from Ryou to the others.

"He...that man...he's your father."  
>Ryou didn't look at him. He hung his head and nodded. His voice was choked. "Bakura. Our last name is Bakura."<p>

There was a moment of silence.

He felt arms incircle him, and found that the woman (named Molly) had pulled him into a tight embrace. He allowed it, letting the tears run down his face for a few moments. Then he pulled away. "Thank you, Ma'am. I need to go back to-"

"Nonsense, dear," said the woman gently, her arm still around his shoulders. "Sit down, I'll make you a hot drink. Don't worry, Dumbledore and Lupin have gone to take care of everything. They'll get your father back."

"Mum," said Bill carefully, "He's a muggle. He doesn't know who you're talking about." Then he paused, while Molly stared at Ryou in some surprise, but with still more pity, "well, not exactly a muggle."

Molly led Ryou to a seat, while Alastor said: "What do you mean, not exactly a muggle?"

Ryou tuned them out. What was his father doing there? How did those people disappear, or use magic for that matter? They couldn't possibly all have Millennium Items; there were only seven, and Yuugi/Yami had five of them. Plus, this magic was different. It made his mind itch, and felt more gaudy and flashy than anything else.

But Ryou knew better then to judge something by a first impression.

Why were they attacked? Was Marik worried? Did Yuugi/Yami manage to arrive in Egypt yet? Where was Ryou now? What was a muggle? What the hell was going on?

His musings were interrupted when someone sat down next to him. This man had unnaturally pale, waxy skin - like someone who had lived in the dark for a long time - and his eyes were deep-sunken. He was bone-thin too and his hair was long, although Ryou couldn't say anything about that considering the length of his own hair.

"Are you okay?" the man asked uncomfortably. Intelligent dark eyes surveyed him. Then the man let out a quiet bark of sardonic laughter, "What a stupid question, of course you're not okay."

"No," said Ryou truthfully, his voice was oddly choked, "I'm not okay." his eyes drifted over everything in front of him, without really seeing anything.

The man had a strange intensity in his gaze and he opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could say anything, Mrs. Weasley (Ryou figured her name out from Bill calling her his mother) hurried over with a steaming mug of cocoa.

"Now before we do anything," she said quickly, "we need to send word to the rest of your family. They're probably worried sick."

Ryou blinked blearily. He tightened his grasp of the hot drink. "The Ishtar residence is located at," he paused. "I need to talk to Marik, actually. _He's_ probably worried. Ishizu, too. Let's hope he hasn't turned the tomb upside-down yet."

"Are they your siblings?" asked Molly Weasley kindly.

"No. They're my employers. And my friends. I don't have any family, besides my father. That's why I've been looking for him." He stared down at his drink.

Something flashed in Mrs Weasley's eyes. "That's it! You are staying here and having a good meal and rest. I'll send word to your friends, don't worry about a thing. This has all probably been very traumatic for you." She pulled out a small stick, like the ones all the others had been holding, and waved it around, causing items to fly around the room.  
>Ryou blinked again. His eyelids were sure to fall off if he kept it up. The sinking feeling in his chest swelled and dimmed. "How is she doing that?" he asked aloud.<p>

The man next to him seemed to be slightly taken aback. "Ah, so you really are a muggle! It's magic."

"Not normal magick," said Ryou, tilting his head to one side. "What is she using to harness this magick?"

The vampire-like man stared at him in astonishment. "A wand, of course."

"A wand?" Ryou stared at the stick in the woman's hand. Of course, the attackers back in the tomb had been using them too, and then...

I did as well.

He leaned back and digested this information, aware that the man was still watching him with open curiosity. There was still a person in the room who had not spoken. She stood now, and left the room quite abruptly. She seemed to be uncomfortable about something.

Ryou stared at his cocoa and realized he had not taken one sip. Instinct. Bakura had never let him taste anything given to him by a stranger, even if he was dehydrated to the point of collapsing.

But Bakura wasn't here. Ryou steeled himself and took a rebellious taste.

Sweet, it was sweet. Almost as sweet as the coffee Marik made for him.

There was a loud crack again, and Ryou jumped; spilling some of the drink onto his lap.

"We can't get into the chamber you spoke of, Bill," said the tired-looking man with a strange-looking aura. He was not entirely human. "There is some kind of magical barrier. Not like one I've ever seen before..."

Ryou stood immediately. "No..." Everything was shattering around him. Everything was falling apart. He fell back into his seat, unable to move for dizziness. Shock. He was in shock. Finally.

They all looked at Ryou. There was sympathy, pure sympathy in their features. No. No! He didn't want sympathy, he wanted his father. His father couldn't die! Not his father...not after finally finding him...

"Where's Dumbledore?" demanded Mrs. Weasley, she looked about half as upset as he felt, "Surely he can do something."

The not-human hesitated. "He's still trying a couple of things." Then he looked away and added in an off-handed fashion. "We've found the others."

Ryou's skin felt suddenly cold.

"They're dead, aren't they, Remus?" said the man beside Ryou. His face was drained of blood. All of theirs were.

'Remus' nodded. "A couple managed to escape, it appears, but Alfred Wiltershire and Sean McMuragh didn't make it. Ernie appears to be hanging on by a thread."

He turned to Bill. "It's a good thing you managed to make it out when you did. Any longer..." he left the sentence unfinished.

"Well actually," Bill stole a glance at Ryou and hesitated. The atmosphere seemed to shift a little and everyone's attention was fully on him.

But there were the bang of footsteps on the stairs. Ah. It really was nighttime here. Where were they exactly? Ryou wondered. This musty house didn't give many clues.

A couple of heads poked in the room. "Mom, what's going on, what's with all the noise," a tall red-headed boy with a long nose appeared. Beside his, there was the face of a girl with bushy, curly hair and rather pretty brown eyes.

"Hey hang on, who are you?"

* * *

><p>REVIEW if you wanted to find out what's happened to Ryou's father, and why the Death Eaters want the tablet. REVIEW if you want to find out why Ryou managed to do magick without an item. REVIEW if you want to know why there is now a giant magickal barrier.<p>

Marik: that's a lot of 'REVIEW's. Is Ryou's dad okay, or do I have to kick some Death Eater's butt?

Yami Marik: Death Eater? What kind of stupid name is that?

Ryou *intensely*: If my father isn't okay, there will be no Death Eater's for Marik to kill. He'll have to make-do with slashing at their broken remains.

Yami Bakura *goggles at Ryou*


	6. Chapter 6

I want to say beforehand, a horrible, useless excuse that will make you all roll your eyes. I wrote this out earlier - but of course, the computer HAD to crash just then, so I lost it. I rewrote it, but it doesn't seem quite right. Forgive me, all Reviewers.

Ryou: That's quite alright. I'm in shock either way. *adorable smile*

Yami Bakura: Don't tell them ANYTHING. You can't trust people with odd hair colours!

Yami: ?

Yuugi: ?

Marik: WTF?

Yami Marik: WTF?

Kaiba *lifts an eyebrow and sneers*: Someone's been avoiding mirrors.

Mokuba *cutely*: Naw, you're just addicted to them, Nii-sama.

Joey *snickering*: Yeah, we caught you posing that one time-

*Joey's sedated and his body is quietly dragged into the darkness*

Kaiba *threateningly* : Nobody heard that

Everyone: gulp

* * *

><p>The gangly, red-head (probably Bill's brother, thought Ryou) was wearing maroon pajamas. The girl was dressed in equally informal apparel that consisted of a pink bathrobe and fluffy slippers. She had a ginger cat tucked under her arm, that was eying the newcomer with lazy indulgence.<p>

"I'm sorry," said Ryou, ducking his head. "I've entirely forgotten my manners."  
>Molly stared at him; stunned to silence. Truth was, the recesses of Ryou Bakura's mind had gone into 'numb denial' mode, and that left a shy boy with his fully-ingrained manners. He gave a perfect, straight-backed bow and said: "Bakura Ryou. Or Ryou Bakura, since you are English. Pleasure to meet you."<p>

They were still staring.

"You're Japanese!" exclaimed the girl, pointing. She seemed oblivious to the fact that her pet was now squirming in her arms.

"Half. Very astute," said Ryou, tilting his head. Pretty and intelligent. He liked this girl. She reminded him of another girl he had made friends with a long time ago, before they had played a game together...

"Very astute," chuckled the red-head, giving the girl a good humoured glance, "that describes Hermione in two words."  
>'Hermione' went very pink and began muttering under her breath things like 'not really', 'Japanese use last name first', and 'obvious conclusion'.<p>

Just then the was a loud crack and an old man with the longest white beard Ryou had ever seen appeared. The somber air around him shifted the atmosphere visibly.

"Albus," said the waxy-skinned man beside him, standing at once.

Light blue eyes turned to them, and Ryou realized that this man was the power in the room. He would be the superiority in any conflict that may arise between these people. He was the natural leader.

He felt as if Marik's Millennium rod was skimming the edges of his mind. He forced all his thoughts into his soul room and padlocked the door.

"Ryou Bakura, correct?" said 'Albus' lightly.

Ryou nodded. He did not ask how this man knew his last name, despite the fact he had only mentioned it while he was gone.

"If it's not too painful, I would like you to tell us what happened." He turned to the older Weasley brother, "You too, Bill."  
>Bill Weasley winced, but then looked at Ryou and his expression changed to deep sympathy. He nodded.<p>

"Wait, what's happening?" asked Hermione, looking nervously from one to the other, "Why is Ryou here? I didn't even know we had contacts in Japan!" Her voice grew shrill as she spoke.

Just then another face appeared around the door. "Mum, what's with all this noise?"

A girl with what, Ryou had come to realize, was trademark bright red hair, appeared rubbing her eyes - before freezing at the sight of the newcomer in the kitchen. "Who's that?"

Just how many people were in this house? wondered Ryou.

"That's enough now," said Molly sharply, "Back up to bed Ginny," she turned to the other teenagers, "and you too Ron. Hermione. And if you see the twins coming down, or," her face reddened and eyes flashed, "listening at doors! You will send them up as well."  
>The gaunt man beside Ryou said: "I'll take them up." and Mrs Weasley shot him a look.<p>

Ryou felt as if he had been thrown into the middle of an unfamiliar story and was missing several, vital pieces. (well he is, isn't he.)

"Okay Sirius," said Ron, and his readiness was edgy. Ginny looked at Ryou curiously, before following. Hermione narrowed her eyes with some deliberation, and then exited slowly.

There was an audible click as the door closed.

And then everyone turned back to him.

Ryou avoided the intent gazes that all the members of the room sent him. Bill must have noticed his discomfort, because he said: "I'll go first."

This made the long, red-headed man a hero in his books, but Ryou shook his head and lifted a hand. "Can I ask you all a question?"

Alastor looked surprised, but Albus nodded easily.

He hesitated and then nervously asked: "What are you?"

There seemed to be a visible freeze in the room.  
>The old man spoke after a few moments. "We are wizards."<p>

"And you are too," said Bill suddenly, causing the focus to momentarily shift onto him, before heavily back. "You used magic back in the chamber."

"Wizards?" Ryou turned to the not-human named Remus, "He said...your friend I mean, that you channel your magick with wands?"

'Remus' nodded, expression unreadable.

"Wizards...?" Ryou pinched his arm hard and winced a little, "Wizards."

There was silence. Everyone seemed to be waiting for Ryou to come to some kind of conclusion.

"Well, this is odd," he said bluntly. (way to go Ryou) Not Millennium items, then. This made twisted sense.

"Can you explain what happened then?" asked Albus gently, but he spoke to Bill.

"Well, I asked for a tour through that tomb, like you told me to," began Bill, "the Ishtars sent him to guide me through it. I thought he was a ghost when I first saw him," Bill gave a strange, choked laugh. Ghost in the sands...curse in the tombs...stranger in the coffin...

"Ryou was showing us through the tunnels and translating the hieroglyphs off the walls when Nicolaj mentioned a curse-" Bill looked over at the albino uncomfortably.

Ryou flinched and covered his face. Father...

"called the fall of Osiris. He said that whoever entered the coffin-chamber would be dragged into the coffin and-"

Ryou choked. His large eyes glistened with tears. Mrs. Weasley stepped over and hugged his neck. To his surprise, Alastor also walked over and clapped a gnarled hand on his shoulder, in what he clearly intended to a comforting way. He realized what had happened now from the semi-coherent jumble Ryou had blurted out before. Molly squeezed him tighter.

"c-consumed by-by Death. Ryou mentioned people went missing and there were deathtraps, but I didn't pay much attention to it, because I've encountered a lot of curses and I thought I had..had..."

The old man watched Bill with complete understanding. "You're an excellent Cursebreaker. It was natural for you to think you could easily deal with it."

Bill's features were filled with sheer relief at not being judged, even when he clearly felt he ought to be. "I thought it would be easy. I shouldn't have. The whole tomb was saturated with magic. I've never felt it so strongly before. Not ever, not anywhere. It was intoxicating. And then I suddenly felt the core of it all. It was overpowering. And I had to...I had to..."  
>"Touch it," said Ryou quietly. His head was dipped forward, and his long white hair hid his expression.<p>

"You...you felt it too," said Bill softly, a light dawning, "that's why you came after me..."

Ryou Bakura did not answer.

The wizards looked shrewdly from one to the other, but obviously were missing some vital points.

"I thought at first you couldn't see the door," said Bill distantly, "I didn't realize you were avoiding it on purpose...I didn't know it was the coffin room. There was so much gold...so much gold in the room, and then you stopped me going in...just before they arrived."  
>Some one took a deep intake of breath.<p>

"Death Eaters. They shot spells at us and took a tablet of stone from the inner chamber using-"

Bill stopped abruptly. Ryou's lilting voice continued:

"Using my father as bait for the coffin."

The silence was deafening. The frigidity of the room had grown in leaps and bounds from that one, quiet sentence.

"I...I didn't know," said Bill, trying desperately to explain...to explain that he wouldn't have left knowing that Ryou's father was trapped inside.

Bill didn't realize that he had tried to stand. He didn't realize the wizards around him were pushing him back into his chair. He didn't realize they were staring in horror at the two of them; finally having pieced together what had happened.

"The coffin...ate him?" whispered Remus, face peaked and unnaturally pale.

Moody gripped Ryou's shoulder.

Mrs. Weasley's arms were like clamps.

Ryou said nothing. His eyes were focused on the cocoa stain on his white robes. Everyone here seemed to wear robes.

There was the creak of the door, and everyone turned on Sirius, who had just re-entered and had his hands in the air. "Just me!"

Alastor, Remus, Molly, Bill, and the silent girl in the corner all lowered their wands. Albus hadn't even lifted his.

"There's just one question I'd like to ask you, Bill, if that's all right," said the old man quietly.

The wizards stopped to listen. Sirius slid into a chair, hollowed chin in bony hand. His intelligent dark eyes slid from the famous wizard to the pale youth.

The light blue eyes observed Ryou carefully.

"How are you so sure he's a wizard? The magic could have been anyone." He was genuinely curious.

Bill stared. Bill gaped. Then Bill laughed. Hysterically.

Under a number of worried glances, he kept laughing. Shock, hysteria, shock, hysteria. He really should have been more used to this, seeing as he went through danger on a regular basis. But this was different.

"I'm pretty sure, he's a wizard," he choked. "Anyone who can shatter three fatal spells WORDLESSLY has got to have some kind of ability in that area!"

There was a tinkling of china. Three wizards had dropped their mugs. Alastor's eye stopped spinning.

"WHAT?"

* * *

><p>Come back next time for Marik's plan and Ryou's dilemma, etc, etc. I'm tired. Goodnight, please Review. Don't kill me for being so useless at writing.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

/mind to mind/

*Egyptian*

^Japanese^

&a change of perspective&

This story isn't only going to be about Ryou, although right now he is the central character. The others haven't been in the story much, but I think that's understandable, due to the fact that quite a lot of weird ass stuff happened to Ryou, and the others are simply looking for him at the moment. I will be following all of them, even if they all go their separate ways. Just wanted to make that clear to you all.

Ryou: yep. Got it. I wouldn't like the whole story to be all about me anyway.

Yami Bakura: zzzzz...guessed that already...BORING.

Marik: But Ryou's not going to DIE is HE? You usually only say stuff like that when you're forshadowing DEATH.

Yami Marik: Who cares? Hikari-pretty, you don't mind me taking over do you...

Yami and Marik at the same time: *threateningly* Don't even think about it.

Yuugi: *hugs Ryou" I'm so sorry about your dad.

Kaiba: I hope you aren't going to make me a ridiculous, filth-loving, friendship-spouting dweeb like them!

Mokuba: I highly doubt that.

Marik: Don't think so, Binky-boy, the author seems to find stoic assholes attractive.

Kaiba: *twitches*

* * *

><p>Marik watched the Blue-Eyes jet touch down; swirling the tawny golden sand.<p>

He had asked Yuugi and Yami to come, of course, but he still felt that strange astonishment when they actually came. He had felt that same astonishment after they had trapped his psychotic yami, who had tried to kill Yuugi and many others, when the small teenager turned to him with a beaming smile and insisted they'd be friends.

"It wasn't your fault," said Yuugi, with utter confidence.

"Liar," whispered Marik. He couldn't keep eye-contact. Not when those eyes were brimming with trust and forgiveness. "It was very much my fault,"

And then the violet-eyed boy had smiled at him. Dimples. Of course he would have dimples. "Everyone deserves another chance. No one should have had to go through what you did, and I'm just very sorry it couldn't have been stopped years ago."

Yuugi's eyes were brimming with tears. He was sorry.

Marik had tried to destroy his closest friend and use his others against him, and Yuugi was sorry for him.

That was when Marik realized that he couldn't be a proper hikari. He wasn't nearly pure enough. Ryou and Yuugi were 'lights'. He was just a blurry shade of gray that flashed and darkened with his moodswings.

Marik was snapped out of his reverie when he saw familiar figures climbing out of the jet. The sunset gleamed on the Blue-Eyes' glossy wings and the metal briefcase, that Kaiba always seemed to have with him. It looked like Mokuba managed to convince his brother to come.

When they drew closer, he was able to see them more clearly. Mokuba was taller; but he still had those huge eyes. Yuugi was familiar; short and beaming and adorable. The elder Kaiba looked rather disgruntled about something as they came across the vast kernels of brazen sand that were gleaming in the Egyptian rays.

Any other time, Marik would have been tempted to go bother the teenage CEO, but right now he was at his end's wits worried about Ryou. He hurried over, purple robes flying around him. Marik ignored the shrieking pain in his ankle, though he still had to hobble a little as he ran. His heavy earrings jangled, as did the rest of his jewelery.

Yami, no it was Yuugi, was biting his lip with anxiety. He didn't look like he was quite able to speak. It was Kaiba who asked Marik for the particulars, with a attentive Mokuba listening beside him. If this was a kidnapping, Mokuba Kaiba was an expert.

Marik did not flinch when those glacial sapphire eyes were upon him. He did not pause when Yuugi's hand tightened on his wrist. He did not blink when Mokuba's slate-grey eyes went wide and his lip began trembling.

The words tumbled out of his mouth so quickly and surely, that he hardly processed them himself. There was a strange buzzing in his ears and he could see a minuscule crease in Kaiba's outfit. There was a clear-winged mosquito hovering at Mokuba's shoulder. He could count the beats of its tiny wings, that sounded to him like thunder-claps.

So this is what it was like to be Yuugi; to have one's friends in danger - to worry without end...

Yuugi features became sharper, and he grew several inches. "So what you're saying," Yami's deep voice permeated Marik's daze. Lavender eyes snapped towards the Pharaoh. "is that a couple of hours, after Ryou leads this group into my tomb, you've dragged out two corpses from my tomb, and they don't have a scratch on them? They're just soulless?" Marik nodded jerkily. "But there's blood around them? And footprints?"

"They aren't Ryou's footprints," said Marik, "or even..." he hesitated, face pinched and twitching, "even Bakura's. They're someone else's. Several someone else's."  
>Yami's face betrayed nothing. His eyes, which had more red in the violet than Yuugi's, were sharp and unblinking on Marik. Mokuba shifted somewhere beside him.<p>

"And that's not all," said the Egyptian, fingering his wristband. "We - Ishizu, Rishid, and I - went into the tomb. We made it three paces away from the golden doors. Bam. There's a barrier. And its serious shadow magick."

He felt, rather than saw Seto Kaiba give him a sharp look. Kaiba never believed in the whole shadow magick deal. It almost surprised Marik how silent he was being, but then again, Kaiba had been around Yuugi for a long time now and probably just ignored it all.

Yami's scrutiny had not relaxed in the slightest. "A barrier?" his eyes sharpened. "And somehow it's familiar to you."

It wasn't a question. Apparently Yami's deliberate soul-scanning gaze paid off. But right now Marik was pretty much transparent anyway. He wasn't trying to block or hide that from Yami, so he didn't care.

Marik's whole body went limp, starting with sagging shoulders. "Yes," he sighed, blonde hair hiding his eyes. The Egyptian hesitated before finally adding. "It has happened before. When Ishizu removed the tablet just a few months before battle city."

This time Yami did show a reaction. His eyes widened and his fists curled in on themselves. "No...that's...how?"

It wasn't 'how?' the pharaoh really was asking; it was 'why?'

"Assuming that this tablet really has been taken, and by questionable characters, I'd like to understand one thing." Seto Kaiba's blue eyes were clear and flashing. The angles of his face were always sharp and intimidating but Marik was too weary and worried to be intimidated right now. If he was anyone else, he'd probably be pissing his pants. "Why would anyone, other then," he sneered - Kaiba had a specialized sneer - "what you call 'Shadow Mages'," here he made quotation marks with his fingers, "even want the slab of useless rock? And who would even be able to get it? Didn't you say it was guarded by magick?" He crossed his arms fluidly.  
>If you ignored the tone, the look, the sneer, and the body language of Kaiba, then the questions were actually plausibly intelligent ones.<p>

Mokuba slapped his brother lightly, but there was little conviction in the movement. He was also probably wondering what Seto Kaiba had just stated.

Yami looked from the CEO to the Tomb Keeper, His nod indicated that Marik should try to answer the questions.

Marik didn't need permission, thank you very much, but Ryou was missing which meant he would not waste time with arguments. "I don't know why, but there are only seven items, and unless Shadi," he suppressed a shiver, thinking about the creepy, pupilless spirit, "has been throwing his two around, this can't be a Shadow Mage working. You have all the other items, don't you?"

Yuugi appeared in spirit form right next to Yami. He looked anxious and was fidgeting nervously with the transparent puzzle around his transparent neck. "Actually, we don't. Well, of course I have the puzzle, the rod," his eyes shifted towards Kaiba for some reason, but the tall CEO didn't seem to notice, or maybe he was ignoring him, he did that, "the necklace, the-the ring," he winced, and Yami gave him a tiny, encouraging sort of smile. Ha. Not even Pharaohs were immune to Yuugi's cuteness. "But the Eye went missing some time ago, I don't know what happened to it." He looked more worried still.

Marik's brows knitted. He seemed to remember something, but it was all blurry. Something about Ryou...something he ought to remember. A glint of gold...Ryou was blurry; running through Marik's house...he touched the wall and smiled...his eyes were shaded...

Ishizu appeared. She was running, and there were mingled emotions on her face. Ishizu was not an overly emotional person, but right now it was hard to pinpoint whether she was happy, angry, anxious, or extremely sad. Without much ado, she shoved a crumpled piece of paper - not paper; this was more like papyrus - into his hand.

Eagerly, though extremely confused, Marik opened it. The dark blue ink had not fully dried and the characters looked as if they had been scrawled quickly.

**Ryou Bakura is safe. He will send word to you tomorrow.**

**A. D.**

Marik almost laughed out of relief, but then again this was not Ryou's writing. He knew no 'A. D', perhaps this was some sort of ruse.

"Look!" he grabbed Yami's hand - forgetting all pleasantries, and not noticing the odd glances the three were giving Ishizu and him - and pointing wildly at the shiny inked writing.

Dutifully, Yami read aloud. "Ryou Bakura is safe. He will send word to you tomorrow. A.D.," Yami turned the paper over. "To the Ishtars."

"It's not someone from Japan, then," said Kaiba coolly. He had smoothed the crinkle in his tailored suit with easy elegance.

Mokuba and Yami blinked with Marik.

The CEO rolled his brilliant sapphire eyes, and looked down at them through his fringe. His arms were still crossed firmly. "He wrote Ryou Bakura, not Bakura Ryou."  
>"How do you know its a 'he'?" asked spirit Yuugi curiously. "I mean, couldn't it be a woman?"<p>

"It's not a woman," said Kaiba shortly. "What woman uses only two short sentences in a letter?" Marik nearly snickered, thinking of Anzu.

Mokuba looked confused for a moment, glancing at his brother and then at Yami. The Pharaoh mouthed something to him that made him give the _'Oh..."_ dawning realization or _'Duh!' _look.

"Wait!" Marik stared from Yami to Kaiba. His eyes paused on Mokuba for no good reason. "He can hear Yuugi?"  
>The younger Kaiba and the former ruler of Kemet smirked at each other. Kaiba ignored them easily. It was probably one of the skills you learned when you became a teenage CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. Yeah. Kaiba's tutors probably droned<em>: "When you are rich, you are allowed to ignore everyone and be a complete as-"<em>

"Yep," said Mokuba. He was replying to Marik's question.

Yami offered the explanation Marik wanted. "He touched the Sennen Rod. It chose him and ta-da!" It felt so weird to hear the Pharaoh say 'ta-da', it was like Shakespeare saying 'damn straight!'

"Touched?" Mokuba looked positively tee-ed "It brained him."  
>Seto Kaiba's frigid blue eyes narrowed. The brunette tapped his silver brief`case with a long index finger."I thought we were trying to figure out who has taken Ryou. To safety or...otherwise."<p>

Spirit Yuugi nodded rapidly. Mokuba and Yami were instantly serious again.

"Well," said Mokuba. "I don't think we have much choice other than to wait. I mean, they're not asking for a ransom. They either have what they want, or they're telling the truth."  
>"Or what they think is the truth," the Pharaoh threw in.<p>

Mokuba shrugged. "Either way. We'll find out tomorrow. They didn't ask for a meeting place, so they'll probably show up here, at your house, Marik."

There was a silence. Marik felt as if something was expected of him. He had no idea what, so he just waited.

"Um, Marik," said Yuugi slowly. "Do, uh, do you mind if we stayed the night?" he offered a timid smile. How could anyone refuse that? Honestly?

Kaiba rolled his eyes and gave Marik a gaze that had induced many a poor person's dealing with post-traumatic therapy.

"Of course! You didn't even need to ask!" Ishizu shot him a look. "Okay...maybe you did," he glanced at his older sister, who also rolled her eyes.

She and Kaiba really needed to stop doing that. Was it a habit of blue-eyed people or something? Or just sticks-in-the-mud?

Yuugi took over the body and beamed. "Ryou's going to be okay!" he hugged Marik fiercely. "He's going to be alright." He pulled away from Marik and looked him in the eye. "How about you? Are you alright? Nothing else you worried about?"

"Me? No, I'm fine!" Marik smiled at the boy, who beamed beautifully again.

An hour later they were inside, and Marik's body was in the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the bathtub. He did not see the tiled walls or washstand, though. He was currently walking through his soulroom. There were pictures carved into ceiling. Faces.

Yuugi and Yami were such great friends. Mokuba too. Yuugi and Mokuba were so bubbly and joyous, and Yami was a little pompous sometimes, but warm-hearted. Kaiba wasn't quite a friend, but he wasn't an enemy either. An ally. Yes, Kaiba was an ally. Cold and dangerous, but occasionally civil for the sake of his brother. Marik loved winding him up, but wouldn't like to seriously cross him ever again. And Ryou...his best friend Ryou...

The soft carpet of his soulroom was delicious against his bare feet.

Yes...they were such a great team. Yuugi especially.

Marik pushed past the gold-and-black tapestries that hid the wall.

That's why he felt so bad for lying to him.

The hidden door in front of him was made of thick steel, and the tiny slot to peer through was barred. There were at least eight heavy bolt and locks.  
>Through the darkness, tanned, blood-splattered fingers suddenly grabbed the bars and red eyes filled with insanity peered at him. "Did you miss me hikari-pretty?"<p>

But no, he was imagining the voice. The prisoner was muzzled and his jaw probably couldn't even open anymore.

"Hikari-pretty?" the laughter was all in his head. "Come play with me..."

Foam-mouthed, Yami Marik yanked at the metal beneath his fingers. Blood dripped like ink from his hands. The bar bent a fraction.

"He never left, Yuugi," Marik whispered. "He never left."

* * *

><p>Phew, I updated! So, tell me what you think.<p>

Next time, Ryou explains.


	8. Chapter 8

/mind to mind/

*Egyptian*

^Japanese^

&a change of perspective&

Sorry for the delay in my update. I hate it when people do that, and therefore feel like a complete and utter failure as well as a hypocrite. Hopefully, it shall not happen again.

For all those people who love OCs, I do not think I have any major ones in this story. I find that a good thing, but take it as you will. There will be no severe bashing or (hopefully) OOCness. I will endeavor to keep them in character as much as possible, while throwing my ultimate twist on them, their past, their attitudes, etc.

I know Ryou is acting out a little more than usually, but under the circumstances...

Ryou *flushing*: I don't know why I've been getting so sharp with people

Bakura: Sharp? You are still as mild and tasteless as an EGGWHITE, Yadonushi. Sharp is for the knives you attack corpses with.

Yami *majestically*: Be silent, Tomb Thief! Return to the darkness from whence you came and trouble Ryou no more!

Yuugi: Bakura, you really just want to be loved don't you? *big eyes*

Seto Kaiba *disgusted* : I think I'm going to be ill.

* * *

><p>The man in front of him was sweating visibly. He was heavy-set with a rather large jaw. His face looked rather hollow in the dim lighting of flickering candles. He shifted a little, and his eyes appeared momentarily black and socket-less. His skin seemed to be grey rather than ivory, and the bones in his fingers were knobby; thick and protruding.<p>

"Dead," said a high, cold voice. "You think our informer is dead?"

The man shivered, looking everywhere but into those eyes. Cold perspiration clung to his spine and around his neck.

There was a frigid silence, and then the dreaded voice spoke again. "Let me see your arm."

This time, the man jumped as if he had been struck. His eyes were horror-filled and dark. Dark brown eyes, yes. He clutched his right arm tightly with his left hand; wincing the entire time.

Thin, spidery white fingers pried the man's hand away easily. There was a large wound, bleeding horribly into a discolored handkerchief. The jagged marks gave the impression that an animal had bitten him savagely; reaching the bone.

"The boy." It was not a question. A brief image of a figure with a shock of white hair flashed before his eyes. The pale fingers released their hold on the arm.

Whimpering, the man nursed his wound to his chest.

Disgust...extreme disgust for this pitiful being before him, and then something else...curious feeling...

"Have his wound tended to," the icy tone did not alter, "and send Lucius here. Now."

Footsteps. They went tip-tap on the marble floor. A aristocratic man with a pointed, pale face entered the room shortly after. His robes flowed elegantly around him. "My Lord."

"Lucius, my faithful follower," soft and softer the tone, and Lucius Malfoy's form stiffened, recognizing that tone...

"It has come to my attention that we cannot find any records of the boy who apparently is a match for five of my own."

Lucius grew ashen, but he did not move.

"So tell me," his voice grew softer, but his eyes narrowed, "how do I not know of someone - someone very much like myself - who is a prodigy in the arts? Someone with the ability to access more power than is natural, and use it at a moment's notice? Why is Dumbledore aware before I am?"

The pensieve by the pale, inhuman arm glittered with pearly-white memories. Lucius' own, in fact.

"He is not in any of the magical records, my lord. I have searched without fail! There is no one of his description written anywhere."

"The odd thing," He said slowly, almost speaking to himself instead of Malfoy, "Is that he did not use his own wand. Why, I wonder?" his words trailed away as he mused silently.

"Did you find out his name?" he asked silkily. His eyes met Lucius' again, and the other man cowed. "We could not. He was a acquaintance of the Ishtars, the only Egyptian muggles that have been impossible to trace for generations."

Muggles? "I see. Leave me." Lucius wasted no time in hurrying out.

"Muggles?" there was a high, cold laugh. "Impossible," his finger stroked the spine of a moldy black book. "Anciente Egyptian Sorcerers." He flipped pages. "Ishtar. Ah! Generations, generations..."

A swell of sudden anticipation. "Perhaps if..." everything blurred quite suddenly, "They..."

Everything swirled together and with a rush, like one rising rapidly out of water, Harry Potter's bright green eyes snapped open. The sheets were crumpled under his fingers and he was gasping for air. Pain. He could feel aches and pains behind his eyes, in his stomach, along his spine.

Voldemort was planning something. And it had something to do with a boy with white hair who lived in Egypt. And some people called the Ishtars.

Harry leaned back in his bed. One dream of Voldemort after the next, dementors attacking, living on the edge of being expelled...one would think he would be given some sort of break, but no. Apparently not.

You are Harry Potter, and therefore the world hates you.

Harry thought quickly back; trying to memorize exactly everything that was spoken. It was all quite clear at the moment. Everything except the end. And he had a horrible feeling that the end was the most important part.

If only Ron and Hermione were sending him letters, if only he could tell them what was going on! He was tired of 'sitting tight', feeling ultimately useless, and waiting for terrible news, feeling death creeping up along the sidewalk all the time.

Dementors. If anyone ever deserved having their soul sucked out, it was Voldemort!

Harry still heard his mother screaming, saw a flash of green beneath his eyelids every time he tried to sleep. "Please no...not Harry!"

His fingers clenched around his wand. And now he saw Cedric Diggory collapsing into a heap of lifeless flesh. Hardly a flash of green. One terrible moment, passing without note to anyone else. How silent it had been, how unremarkable! How terrifying that someone could kill by a simply flutter of fingers and two extravagant words!

Avada Kedevra.

Cedric tumbled to the ground, honest grey eyes empty. Wordless, lifeless. He had been so loyal...

Harry's throat was strangely dry. He tried to cough, and nearly managed. Yet over and over again he saw Cedric die. Unimportant, the Hufflepuff had been. 'Kill the spare'.

Rage, Harry was burning with red-hot rage. The words would have been the same had it been Fleur there, Viktor, had it been Sirius...

And for some time he had hated Cedric; hated him for liking Cho, and for Cho finding Cedric attractive. Cho with her pretty dark lashes and long hair, and Cedric dead - dead; crumpled on the ground.

Guilty...he felt so guilty...

Harry leapt to his feet and went to the bathroom. It was all silent on Privet drive, except for the snores of Vernon Dursley, which were loud enough to be alarming.

Better not to think of sad things, of terrifying things. There was no point to it; it just made one feel further depressed.

Harry splashed cold water on his face and glanced out the window. Wait a moment...there was something there.

He moved closer to the sill; droplets clinging to his eyelashes.

Yes, he had seen it in the garden. It was a clear night and the moon was casting shadows across the grass. Yes, it moved again.

Was that a person...watching him? No, they were moving away, faint and fading. White was hardly a colour to wear when you were sneaking around in the dark, he thought, frowning.

Harry's brows furrowed, but he did not see the pale shadow again.

&Ryou&

When Bill blurted out that last statement, Ryou gauged by the reactions that it had been not a normal display. He knew, in half a moment all the wizards would be attacking him with questions. His head hurt, he was tired and upset, and he just wanted to see Marik Ishtar with his lurid purple robes, girly ways, and crushing hugs.

So he did the first thing he thought of. He held his breath, and rushed into his soulroom.

In other words, Ryou fainted.

Cliche, but to the point, he thought calmly, looking at a picture of Amane and himself in his soulroom. She was so pretty with her white-blue hair and her large innocent eyes. His grip tightened on the frame. They looked very alike, everyone had said. What a beautiful family...and all so polite.

The walls of the room flashed red, but Ryou maintained control and the colour faded.

Ryou blocked out the voices that were growing louder and louder. They were gesturing frantically to each other. Only Albus - was it Albus Dumbledore? What a queer name! - seemed to remain calm, yet deep in thought. Remus was white-faced and anxious, but quiet. Mrs. Weasley was shaking him suddenly, while he watched; completely detached.

His soulroom was so serene. Everything was pale blue and white; mild colours. Mild Ryou. Polite Ryou. Demon Ryou. Deadly Ryou.

He shook himself.

His mother smiled at him from the picture on the wall. Beautiful mother with her beautiful voice. She had been professional a long time ago, and father had been so proud! So proud!

_"Sing Mama, sing Ryou! I like it when you sing me to sleep. Please."_

"No Amane," whispered her brother inaudibly. "I cannot sing anymore."

Ryou closed his large, doe-like eyes; lashes feather-soft against his skin. One moment. He'd allow himself a moment of sadness; of bitter-sweet remembrance. No more.

Amane skipping through the tall grass, long bluish hair flying behind her; laughing...Can't catch me Ryou!"

Mother running her fingers along her harp strings. Her eyes were so large and soulful...so pretty, and such a pretty smile. So familiar, so achingly dear...

Father was not so sad then. Father was home then.

Father loved me then...

Suddenly a loud booming voice echoed in the chamber, startling a yelp from Ryou.

"Enervate."

Without warning, he was thrown from his soulroom, back into his body. Next time, he'd padlock the door. Nothing could pass the heavy padlocks...no one except The Thief. But The Thief knew powerful blood magick that these did not. And The Thief was him...

Ryou gasped, opening his eyes in panic to see the faces of the wizards around him. Oh well, at least he had had his moment.

Mrs. Weasley had done the incantation, but now she was looking worried. "Are you alright, dear?"  
>He nodded, almost violently, coughed twice, and then swallowed.<p>

"I suppose, first time. Always needs a bit getting used to." she smiled at him kindly, and then asked. "Dear, is there anything you'd like to tell us?"

Ryou blinked. Three times.

Alastor Moody spoke from beside him. "What she means, boy, is that you have a little explaining to do. Shattering spells, eh?"  
>The albino gulped, looking from one curious set of eyes to another. His tone was weakly light-hearted. "I take it that's not normal?"<p>

It was as if all the wizards had morphed into one huge wizard, who shook his/her large head.

"Ah. I didn't think so."  
>Ryou took a deep breath, and watched the others settle around him; waiting.<p>

"To start with," he rushed his words a little, "I never knew about this magick you use with wands. You see, I can do some magick, but it requires the use of an item I no longer have. I guess you could say we are similar in that respect?"

Albus Dumbledore nodded gently. "Perhaps."  
>"My magick is not quite the same as yours in every respect, though. It is rather ancient, and I know almost nothing about it," if his Yami had been here, he would have been cackling in his head and shrieking LIAR. "I do know that it was the same type of magick that had been in the tomb," he paused. "You see, that's why I help protect it. When Master Weasley," Bill's eyes popped at the title, "and myself were being attacked; we were practically standing by the source. I was nearly bursting with magick, but I could not loose it," Something came to light in Dumbledore's eye. Pain. Familiar knowledge. Pain. A moment after it was gone, but he watched Ryou closely still, "When a stick - sorry, wand - touched me, it immediately loosed half a lifetime of ancient magick into the air," he smiled weakly. "I feel entirely drained of powers."<p>

"Holy shit." said Sirius Black reverently, dark eyes wide.

While Moody watched his mouth movement suspiciously, Remus spoke beside him, "And Voldemort's-" several people in the room flinched, "Death Eaters," Ryou's eyebrows lifted, "took something. A stone tablet with hieroglyphs?"

"The bulk source of the magick," said the white-haired boy wearily. "But - wait! - Voldemort? Flight of Death? Who is that?"  
>The wizards exchanged dark looks. "I guess you could say the Evil Overlord of our Time," said the vampire-like Sirius Black moodily.<p>

"Tell me about him."

Sirius sat up straight. Remus, who Ryou percieved to be extremely intelligent, answered him instead. "How about this. You tell us about this tablet and we'll explain to you about Voldemort," another round of flinching and a serene, but slightly saddened Albus Dumbledore, "after you've had a little rest."

The shadow mage looked into the yellow-brown eyes and haggard face, prematurely aged. Calm, but earnest Remus...

"Mr...?"  
>"Lupin, Remus Lupin?" he laughed a little a Ryou's expression. "I know, odd name."<p>

Ah. Werewolf obvious much? Remus Lupin? His parents must have wanted him obviously marked. It was really very sad.

"Mr. Lupin, you have a deal."  
>The werewolf smiled at him, and Ryou thought once more of his occult set and how Silver Fang would look right now in Remus Lupin's hand. He had made many wishes in his younger years, and now they were happening with a vengeance.<p>

No vampire yet, though perhaps Sirius Black was a candidate. He did appear to have a human aura though...

"The tablet is an ancient Egyptian piece of sorcery used several millenia ago to save Kemet from surest disaster. The Pharaoh created it, through unknown means, as well as," he paused, uncertain, "several items made of solid gold that are used to wield the power of magick. Supposedly the powers of the Gods are locked within the tablet, but only the Pharaoh ever managed to access them fully," another bold-faced lie, "that is all I really know."

He closed his mouth but was interrupted by a loud yawn, followed by a pounding in his head.

"I think that's enough questioning," said Mrs Weasley - ever the mother hen it appeared - her eyes daring anyone to disagree.

"Just one last question, Mr. Bakura," said Alastor Moody, "What of these items? What happened to yours?"  
>"I gave it away," the shadow mage said finally.<p>

"Hang on, you just gave away your ability to perform magic like that?" Bill Weasley stared at him as if he was some sort of mental retard. No, he wouldn't have stared at a mental retard like that. Bill Weasley stared as if he had grown a large fungus that was sprouting through the nose."Why?"

Why indeed? It would be impossible to explain the whole reasoning and truth behind his decision. No, he would never explain everything ever to these people, even if they were entirely pure-hearted angelic beings, which was improbable - even for Ryou's mind. (Yuugi's mind however...)

"Sometimes," he whispered, eyes haunted and darting from one face to another "power like that is dangerous. I don't think I-I quite trust myself with that much power." No. Look where it had gotten him last time.

Remus looked pensive, Sirius looked scandalized, Bill looked unsettled, Moody remained stern, Mrs Weasley looked worried for his safety, the silent woman pursed her lips and set her brows, and Dumbledore...held a very strange expression indeed.

When he spoke, his voice was strangely soft. "You're absolutely right, Mr. Bakura." then "Give him somewhere to lie down Molly. He needs some sleep." His eyes held Ryou's still, but they were not calculating, blank, or entirely appraising. They were...

_Mother and Amane laughing at a family picnic...willow trees and bubbling springs...checkered cloth to sit on..._

_Yuugi speaking: "Sometimes our past is our present, but sometimes," Amane giggling over a pockie, "it is like warming a dead body over and over again, expecting him to come to life once more."_

_Mother and daughter...hand in hand..._

Empathetic. Were those twinkling blue eyes crying inside?

Without realizing it, Ryou had said aloud something bottled deep inside the older man.

And in that moment, he had been accepted.

* * *

><p>Hm, I noticed my chapters are getting longer and longer. That's good, right?<p>

Okay, Reviews, Reviews.

In answer to several Reviews, yes. The Yamis WILL play a large role in the stories. But they won't come in immediately either.

And in case anyone was wondering, Ryou can see auras, but only vaguely and because he's that sort of person, not to mention that he owned the Millenium Ring, which has a lot to do with souls, finding others, etc.

Bakura won't be a huge cuddly teddy, because its not how he rolls, and Yami Marik will not decide to go to settle down and have kids, go to church, unless its to burn said church down and give them a sermon they'd never forget!  
>Yami is Yami, I say no more. He isn't evil, but he isn't perfect either. He's Dark Yuugi, and therefore has some questionable traits and abilities.<p>

Any Questions? SPEAK!


	9. Chapter 9

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

Woohoo another chapter. Sigh. Sorry for the delay. My boss is EVIL! yeah, yeah. Anyway I'll shut up before Yami Bakura and Yami Malik attack me for existing and you can read the chapter.  
>Yami Bakura *sharpens knives*<br>Yami Marik *milks the blood from some poor animal...is that an animal?*  
>It's the hikari's day off...<p>

Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin were in Egypt. They were standing in front of a stone house with glass-less windows. Muslin curtains fluttered in the dust-clogged breeze; soft and delicate as a woman's eyelashes.

It was quiet. If they didn't know any better they would say this house was deserted - possibly haunted.

This was the Ishtar's residence.

Along the sand outside there were groves, as if some large vehicle had passed this way. Immediately 'dragon' popped into Remus Lupin's mind, although he brushed that idea away as ridiculous. Sirius had mentioned that Ryou had been shocked by their magic, he had likely only seen ancient, unwieldy incantations and many powerful tomb curses. It was altogether probable that he did not even know that dragons existed.

"That's interesting," said Albus softly. Golden eyes turned to meet his curiously. "Aeroplane."

Remus could have slapped himself. Being a half-blood, he knew more about the muggle world than his pureblood friends and allies; definitely more than his enemies. It was ridiculous that Dumbledore, being a pureblood, figured it out before he had.

"I thought they could only land on fixed grounds," said the older wizard calmly, "These marks are quite fresh. They must have invited friends."

"Flat grounds," said Remus absentmindedly. "Open, flat grounds. The desert sand excels in that department."

What sort of friends had the Ishtars brought? Apparently, if Ryou Bakura's information was to be trusted, they were wizards like him. Did they have one of these 'items', and if so, how dangerous were they?

Amidst the swirl of his mind, Remus' expression had not altered one jot.

And then something rather suddenly hit him.

"Where is the aeroplane?"

Light blue eyes regarded him.

"I mean," Remus Lupin quickly pulled himself together, "it's not something that just blends in with the sand, or something you can hide behind a house. The tracks don't seem to be right for landing and take-off, but even if that were so, why would they land and then leave just as quickly?"

Albus Dumbledore smiled softly. "Questions I hardly considered. I must admit, I know only a very little about the intricacies of muggle inventions. This is why I brought you here with me, Remus."

He pushed his want up one sleeve.

"But let us greet the Ishtars now, I'm sure they must be worried about their friend."

A silent translation spell later, the two wizards walked towards the ghostly house.

Dumbledore rapped on the door, and Lupin watched quietly. The wolf inside of him was acting strangely. It felt...apprehensive? Fair enough, but what was with the low whining that echoed inside his ears. It was only when the door began to open that he realized he had felt something similar before; when he had encountered another werewolf.

This realization hit him hard.

The door opened a crack and a tall, ominous man looked out. He was bald and there were bizarre markings carved into his tanned face, as well as black painted around his lilac eyes. Ankh earrings of solid gold swung from his ears.

Remus Lupin had known what intimidation felt like and fully appreciated this man's ability. He was not afraid, but understood how others might be so inclined. The werewolf could not help but observe the man for a long moment at the strange, exotic appearance, before Dumbledore cleared his throat and calmly began to speak.

*This is the Ishtar residence?*

The man scowled and the intensity in his eyes grew, he nodded curtly. 'Who wants to know?' was clearly the attitude he portrayed.

*We have come to clear the matter of a certain Ryou Bakura.*

The man froze. Lilac eyes scanned them swiftly before he spoke. *I see,* He opened the door wide to let them pass. *I am Rishid. The others are expecting you.*

Dumbledore and Lupin silently passed through and waited until Rishid - was he an Ishtar? He must be one - gestured towards a wooden door.

It opened to a sitting room. Wicker chairs were filled with an assortment of the strangest looking people Remus had ever seen. And that was saying something.

A boy, about the same age as Harry and Ryou, Remus realized, jumped out of his seat and ran towards them. *You've come about Ryou, correct?*

He had lilac eyes, rather like Rishid (including the black designs), but sported shocking amounts of ash-blonde hair, making him easily confused with a female.

*Yes,* said Remus carefully, *and you are?*

*Marik,* the boy's narrowed eyes turned from Dumbledore's and bored intensely into his own. *Marik Ishtar. Where is Ryou?*

A boy behind him - no taller than Marik's shoulder - stood and walked (skipped?) forward until he was right beside said Ishtar. This boy had hair that was not one, but three very different colours and almost as widespread as the rest of his body. He had violet eyes (why were their eyes - and hair - all so strange?) that were beyond huge and innocent. Remus was immediately reminded of Ryou.

*Please, where is Ryou? We've all been so worried!* He clutched the golden chain around his neck. Apparently all these people were fond of gold jewelery, as Marik had heaps of it looping through his ears, around his arms, and around his neck.

The bulky triangle that hung around the small one's neck, though, must have weighed more than the boy himself. Said boy's eyes had grown, if that were possible, and were dampening quickly.

Remus touched him on the shoulder. *It's going to be alright. Ryou is not harmed. He is presently sleeping, though.*

Marik had reacted immediately to the touch on his friend's shoulder. He yanked the small boy out of the way and his eyes narrowed further.

*Calm down, Marik,* said a cold, sophisticated voice from across the room. *they're not carrying any weapons. All they have on them are sticks up their sleeves.*

This young man's age was hard to pinpointed. Remus would guess at early twenties (Author: hahahahahahahahaha... Marik: JERKFACE! I'm The SAME AGE!) by his demeanor, although his appearance, as of itself, said late teen. He was tall, had frigid blue eyes and an air of mild disdain. His chestnut bangs shadowed his face a little, giivng the illusion that his eyes were glowing.

For the first time in a long time, Remus felt overwhelming chill from something that was not dementor.

Elegantly, the glacial young man shifted his position on his chair, rippling a long, expensive coat, and calmly replied to the glare Marik was giving him.

*You didn't think I'd let potential dangers enter the house, let alone the room that holds Mokuba without scanning them for weapons first? What kind of a fool do you take me for?*

Slytherin. That man was practically undulating an aura of Slytherin.

The small boy's face (Yuugi's, not Mokuba's) broke into a large smile. *Thank you Kaiba!*

This expression did nothing to alter the other's. He gave a fleeting glance of icy disdain in their general direction before turning back to the shiny silver contraption on his lap.

*So,* said a woman seated in the background. *You were going to tell us where Ryou is, and why he has not reached us yet?*

Dumbledore replied: *Indeed we are. I think it would be better if you all sat down.*

His light blue, twinkling eyes scanned them briefly. *You are Ishizu Ishtar?* he asked the woman lightly. *And this is Marik.*

*Yes,* she replied, pushing back a strand of ebony hair. Her blue eyes were also careful. Sharp. These people were sharp, excepting - perhaps - the tiny one.

*I am Albus Dumbledore, and this is Remus Lupin. May I first ask who these others are?*

*Ryou's friends,* she said briskly. *Yuugi Motou, Mokuba Kaiba, and his elder brother. I believe you already met my brother, Rishid?*

Remus had not noticed Mokuba at first. Perhaps it was because the boy was on the other side of foreamentioned Kaiba. He wondered why she had called everyone else by their first name, but not him.

Marik and Yuugi were still standing. Dumbledore, sighing, sat down himself and Remus followed.

*Mr. Ryou Bakura mentioned that you can use magic. Is that true for all of you?*

Remus Lupin nearly flinched. He had not expected Dumbledore to start with that. All the same, Dumbledore was an excellent reader of people and must be certain of what he was doing.

It was not his place to interrupt.

The wide eyes and shocked expressions were to be expected. Even the tightening of mouths and faces, the fingering of what may be hidden weapons were understandable.

However, there was another reaction.

*You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding.* the elder Kaiba closed the silvery contraption with a click. *Magic doesn't exist. I don't know who hired you, or what kind of nut-jobs you are,* His eyes drifted critically over Dumbledore's choice of apparel, which was, Remus despaired, not exactly normal muggle-wear, *but I will not take this sort of spiel again and again.* Frightening cold blue eyes shot to Yuugi Motou as if he was the center of all the troubles in the world. His voice dropped another twenty degrees *I'll be upstairs.*

He rose, catlike and graceful, and smoothly exited the room.

The door made a very impressionable click behind him.

*Brother!* Mokuba made a dash after him, giving the others an apologetic look as he did so.

Yuugi sighed.

*Don't worry about him, Yuugi,* said Marik coolly. *Eventually he'll have to pull that stick out of his ass. Talk about living in denial.*

They realized quite suddenly that they were still in the presence of strangers. *Kaiba doesn't believe in anything unexplained by science.*

Marik snorted. *Magick's not exactly in that category. What do you know about it?*

*We,* said Dumbledore quietly, *are wizards.* He removed the stick from his sleeve and held it in front of him. *This is a wand. It is what we use to channel magic. Mr. Bakura said that you used something different, but he did not go into detail.*

*Wizards?* said Yuugi, his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline. *That's new. Okay.*

*You seem to be taking this rather calmly,* said Remus curiously.

Marik was eyeing the wand carefully, as if ready to tackle Dumbledore if it so much as twitched in his direction.

*We have used magick before, as Ryou mentioned,* Yuugi was calm and cute and tiny. *We didn't think ours was the only kind, or we were the only users. We have come across some oddities of our own in Japan and Egypt. Perhaps they were wizards. What you have said makes slight sense.*

Remus took back what he thought earlier. The little one was also sharp.

*But what does this have to do with Ryou? Surely he isn't-* He paused, forehead wrinkling into a frown.

*The wizarding world is presently in a sort of war, Mr. Motou. The group your friend was leading through the tomb were my colleagues. They were attacked by opposing wizards in an attempt to steal something hidden there.*  
>Yuugi and Marik and Ishizu, who had been silent up until now, all froze and whispered: *the tablet...*<p>

*Bill Weasely managed to transport himself, along with your friend, to our safe-house before they were hurt. Unfortunately, before this happened, your friend displayed an unusual and powerful magic. He has become a target.*

The three were staring at him in horror.

Marik was the first to stand. *We need to see him now! Ryou needs us to be there for him!*His eyes narrowed at Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin once more. *I don't trust you, old man, or you -* he stopped what he was about to say, then continued, *but I must see Ryou. He will not...I will not let him be broken apart ever again!*

This said, he crossed his arms and stared down at him resolutely. Yuugi was up and nodded firmly, not more than a moment later. Ishizu's careful eyes bored fiercely into the old wizard's.

*I am pleased,* said Dumbledore quietly, *that Ryou Bakura has such good friends to look out for him. Other things have happened to him; personal things that I'm sure he'd prefer to tell you himself.* He passed a hand over his eyes. *I can take you to him if you like, but after I take you into our safe-house, I cannot let you out without an oath that you shall not reveal its location or what you may learn within. You understand my precautions?*

*Of course,* said Yuugi. Marik's narrowed eyes sized him up again.

*I understand.* then he spoke to his sister. *Ishizu, take Rishid and inform the clans that there are games afoot. A friend of mine is in danger and I must leave. Tell them to protect the tomb and all magical artifacts in my absence.*

Rishid, who had appeared in the doorway, and Ishizu spoke in sync. *Yes sir.*

They exited the room like soldiers preparing to do battle.

*Sir?* questioned Remus. *Why do your siblings address you so formally?*

*I was the closest male of kin to my dead father,* there was a coolness to his words, *according to clan rules I inherited Lordship of my clan, and therefore became their Master.* He sighed and his eyes burned with unknown emotions. *It should have been Rishid. If he hadn't been adopted, he would have been accepted. He would have made a far better clan leader.*

*Don't be hard on yourself,* said Yuugi. Huge violet eyes were brimming with kindness. He took Marik's hand and beamed up at him.

*So where are we going now?* asked Mokuba, who had appeared in the other door. He was tugging at his big brother who now ignored the wizards and looked at Marik the same way Marik looked at him; with cool indifference.

*Ryou's been-* Yuugi paused. *Oh, I'm sorry Mokuba. You don't know Egyptian fluently, do you.*  
>Mokuba smiled forcefully. He shifted his gaze to the person beside him. *Unlike my brother, I am not a world-wide wonder-child.*<p>

*The word is prodigy, Mokuba. And you're hardly talentless.*

Mokuba gave him a look that would have sent babies crying, woman wailing, and animals fleeing. It did not, however, affect his brother in the slightest.

Yuugi switched languages to what Remus recognized as Japanese. He realized that the only ones with Egyptian blood were the Ishtars, but Yuugi and the elder Kaiba had flawless accents. Mokuba's was not even heavy.  
>The names appeared to be Japanese.<p>

*You,* the glacial youth startled him, though he took care not to show it.

*Yes?* asked Remus amiably.

*You are both English, are you not? Ryou is presently in that country?*

Remus blinked. Their accents were magically perfect. Their appearances would lend to some insane asylum. They could have been from anywhere in America or Europe, even Australia.

*Indeed,* said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling. *You guessed from our names?*

Kaiba looked at him coldly. *Lupin in is in the record books. Your name is not.*

Wait? *Record books?*

*Theodore Lupin. English. Born 1938, disappeared off the records year 1958. Your father, I believe.* He held up a sheet of paper with numerous letters and numbers and dropped it coolly into Remus' lap. *Fifth paragraph was helpful. 'Considered hallucinogenic'. Now it's clear what all your 'magic' stems from. Insanity is often hereditary.*

Remus did not shift. He did not display anger when he was insulted. He was used to it.

*Yours especially, Kaiba,* shot Marik, glaring at him.

*You hardly wish to insult me, Ishtar,* said the brunette, narrowing his eyes.

*Or what,* said Marik sarcastically. *You'll fire me?*

The temperature appeared to shift in the room.

*Brother...* said Mokuba suddenly. It appeared that Yuugi had only just finished explaining the situation. The long-haired boy was staring at the paper on Remus' lap. *You didn't...* he switched quickly to Japanese. And though Remus' translation spell wasn't quick enough to catch everything properly, he could have sworn the boy said:

^You hacked into government-guarded secrets...again?^

&Yuugi&

/Yami. Are they to be trusted?/

/I am not certain. They are gifted in hiding their thoughts. Especially the old one. They have magic, it is true. But a warped kind./

/Warped?/

/I do not think it odd that Ryou spoke vaguely with them. He noticed also. These wizards...have used no form of sorcery. Their souls are whole./

/Shall we go with them./

/If they have Ryou, we have little choice./

/We will have them explain everything to us in detail there. We must respect their secrets, though, as we have many of our own./

/Is the priest willing to join us./

/He's not the priest./

Yuugi could feel Atem rolling his eyes. The Pharaoh never seemed to understand how different Kaiba's soul was from that of his counterpart. Atem calling Kaiba the priest was like calling Ryou the Thief King.

/While we are around them, we must not switch places. It may be noticeable to those with magic./ The short boy gave a tiny nod.

*Kaiba?* Yuugi asked. *Are you joining us?*

*Why should I? I only came because Mokuba asked me to. I hardly think traveling with potential dangerous individuals is reasonable. If they have Ryou, all more reason not to go. It is possible that they took him to get to you or myself.*

The wizards raised eyebrows at this.

Albus Dumbledore - what a weird name! - spoke: *You appear to be familiar with dangers, Mr. Kaiba.* His light blue eyes veiled a sharp mind.

Kaiba's reply was crisp. *Anyone with any power is put in a measure of danger. Come, Mokuba. We are taking the jet home.*

He swung his briefcase off the ground, but was stopped by Mokuba's hand on his wrist. ^Brother! We can't just let them go after Ryou alone!^

^I assure you, we can and we will.^

^How can you say that? How can you knowingly let them head off into danger when we could help?^

^Better them then us.^

Mokuba's fists clenched and unclenched. His eyes were burning with fury. His whole body was shaking with the force of it. ^You have become Gozaburo!^

The room froze with the young CEO of Kaibacorp. The muscles in his face contracted sharply before they became normal again. His face was once more, an icy mask. His eyes, once more appeared to flare blue.

^Perhaps I have,^ he said softly. ^Get in the Blue Eyes at once!^ Now it was Mokuba that was frozen, staring at his older brother in horror.

And Yuugi saw too late, that all chances of Mokuba convincing his brother had flown out of the window when he had compared him to his foster father.

He knew little of what had happened between the brothers and Gozaburo Kaiba, but the name had been enough to send both into defensive positions last time it had been carelessly spoken.

As Mokuba stiffly walked outside, Yuugi realized - quite suddenly - how alike the brothers were. It was rarely noticeable. Mokuba was nice, Seto was not. That was how all his friends had always seen it.

But Seto had a past that Mokuba did not quite share, no matter how much the younger Kaiba tried to.  
>Yuugi saw it in the way the hand on the silver briefcase clenched. It was enough to turn the knuckles white.<p>

Perhaps, perhaps...

/Yuugi. He is beyond saving./

/Nobody! Nobody is beyond saving!/

Yuugi turned to the wizards with Marik, eyes brightly blazing. *Let's go see Ryou.*

Ryou: Are they coming over then?  
>Marik: We're not taking the jerk with us, are we. I mean, he just walked out, didn't he?<br>Seto Kaiba: I am most certainly not going anywhere with mental patients. Neither is Mokuba.  
>Mokuba: Nii-sama...!<br>Yuugi: Sorry about having to keep you hidden, Yami.  
>Yami: I understand, Aibou. It is a good thing that you no longer appear to be spacing out so often when we speak.<br>Jou: AM I IN THIS STORY...PLEASE?  
>Tea: FRIENDSHIP...!<p>

REVIEW AND I WILL ANSWER! ta da!


	10. Chapter 10

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

Hopefully this chappy will be a great deal longer than the meagre lot I've been throwing up so far. Warning, spoiler alert, THERE WILL BE WAND DUELS, BUT MOSTLY CARD DUELS. There, i've said it.  
>I prefer the Yugioh cast to stick to magick, instead of wand-ness.<p>

Yami Bakura *scoffs*: as if a mere stick could replace the Ring!  
>Ryou Bakura: I'm not going to have to merge with the Ring am I?<br>Marik: Doesn't Kaiba still have the Rod? what will I use? The Eye is missing!  
>Yami Marik: PRECIOUS...<br>Yami: O_O Yuugi: (.)_(.)  
>Mokuba: okay, Mariku, now you've got to be sh*ting us.<p>

Harry Potter was not happy.

Firstly, Ron and Hermione had refused to send him news during his summer stay at the Dursleys.

Secondly, he had had to stay with the Dursleys.

Thirdly, he had seen Cedric die and Voldemort rise from the dead several months ago. He had fought Voldemort. Surely that meant something. Surely they realized that he wasn't entirely useless. He could fight. He had faced up against huge obstacles since he was eleven, for Merlin's sake!

Fourthly, he had had to stay with the Dursleys.

Fifthly, foreign children were given place at the secret headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, but he - the Chosen One - had, you guessed it, had to stay with the Dursleys.

Harry Potter was not happy at all.

If anyone had a right to be cross, it was him. He had been destined for trouble at birth, it seemed, and all people seemed to think that it was somehow his fault.

It wasn't.

They should realize that by now. He didn't want to be an orphan. He didn't want a terrifying Dark Lord stalking him. He didn't want that blasted lightning scar.

Harry had yelled at his friends, and when he was feeling a little bad (Hermione was in tears, Harry felt guilty for that; but girls did cry so easily) that was quickly turned around when the head of a blonde boy snapped out of a nearby door and effectively told him to shut the f*ck up.

Harry had blinked. Twice.

The blonde boy had not waited to see such a reaction. Despite his violent reaction to Harry, he had closed the door softly behind himself.

Harry realized, only later, that the boy had purple eyes.

"You're as thin as a rail! Almost as bad as that Marik and Ryou. Even that tiny one - Yuugi - doesn't seem to eat enough."

"You say that about everyone mother," Ginny, who was half-sprawled over the counter, rolled her eyes. Then she smiled at Harry. "But it is true about Marik and Ryou being skinny. And talk about effeminate. Ryou's prettier than I am! Hermione and I have desperately been trying to get the details of his hair-care and shampoo."

Harry was not the first one to dinner, but he was close. Mrs. Weasley and her daughter were setting the forks and knives in neat rows around the table. Dinner smelled delicious even from here. Lamb chops, mushrooms, jack-potatoes, green peas, and oceans upon oceans of delicious gravy.

"Ri-oh? Maar-ick? You-gee?"

"Oh, that's right," said his godfather, entering the kitchen. He seemed to be in high spirits since Harry arrived. "You haven't met our foreign guests. You'll see them soon enough. Don't sit next to Marik, though. He'll give you the evil eye if you so much as touch a piece of meat."

Harry had a brief memory of 'shut the f*ck up' and angry purple eyes.

He silently agreed with Sirius.

A crowd flooded the kitchen moments afterwards and haphazardly took their places. The Weasley's were there(minus Charlie, and Percy), as well as Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Hermione Granger, Nymphadora Tonks (who Harry had only just met on his way here), Alastor Moody, , Mundungus Fletcher, and Harry himself.

Ron and Hermione, who were observing him as if he was a dynamite about to blow, had relaxed very little. Remus and Sirius were talking about something serious in the corner and Tonks was changing her face for Ginny.

Then the door opened again. A boy with shoulder-length, pale blonde hair and large eyes entered. Golden earrings, necklace, and armbands adorned the bronze skin. He was, by all appearances, extremely effeminate until he glared and cracked his knuckles.

He stalked towards the table, his glare focusing on the pile of lamb chops and becoming hateful.

Behind him was another boy, one with even stranger hair. This boy was the size of a midget twelve-year-old(Harry had seen one on T.V.) with star-shaped hair that was not only black and red, but finished with blonde bangs. Add a couple other shades and there was Mr. Rainbow.

He had a huge, smile adorning his adorable, panda-bear countenance. And there was an odd choker around his neck that made him appear even more pettable.

Both boys were wearing Fred and George's patchy hand-me-downs.

"Mrs. Weasley, I hope you don't mind me taking some up to Ryou. He doesn't want to be a bother, but I think he really is starting to get ill..."

Motherly instincts arising, Mrs. Weasley leapt to her feet. "No bother, no bother."

She raised her wand and food systematically floated into a pleasant pile atop a large plate. The boy's eyes widened at the load. "I don't think Ryou will eat that much...'

The feminine boy glared at the meat. "Cruelty. That's what it is! Cruelty to animals!"

"Marik," exasperated star-haired child managed.

"Cruelty! Would you like someone cooking you? Would you so calmly devour human flesh?"

A large amount of the diners were putting down their cutlery; looking vaguely ill.

The small boy closed his eyes.

"If you can be friends with someone who eats rare steak, Marik, I think you'll be fine in these conditions," said the boy in an attempt-at-niceties. He sighed before turning back to Mrs. Weasley.

"I'll be back down in a moment. Don't let Marik get to you. He was like that about riding horses too. But even if motorbikes were alive, I doubt he'd quit."

He picked up the heavy plate, observing its piled contents dubiously, and exited the room. All eyes were on foreign boy no 1. Marik.

He sat down, visibly disgruntled and served himself a heapful of vegetables and potatoes. He stabbed a mushroom with his fork violently.

There was a long, awkward silence.

"Is he doing any better?" asked Remus softly. There were tired lines under his eyes, and right now they were etched with deep concern.

Lilac eyes snapped up. "No." He tore a potato to pieces savagely and then, oddly enough, daintily popped the shreds into his mouth.

No one spoke. Everyone was walking on eggshells around this boy, much like Ron and Hermione were walking on eggshells around Harry.

Finally Marik's gaze focused on Harry. His chewing became more pronounced and his eyes flashed and narrowed. It was a rather catlike affair, Harry noticed. "So, who's the idiot here who decided to wake up half of London with his screaming? Have you no concern or respect for the others in the house?"

This statement rose everyone to their hackles, and many of the people began speaking all at once. Remus didn't. He looked as though he were brooding and - Harry saw to slight disappointment and anger - his eyes softened on Marik as though he were feeling sorry for the sharp-tongued boy.

Marik ignored the hisses and statements, the blurting and excuses. His eyes were focused on Harry as if he was the sole cause of a new epidemic.

Anger spurred Harry to speak. "I'm Harry Potter, thank you very much, and seeing as you've all been happy and cozy while I've been stuck with my horrible relatives, trying desperately to hear news, I don't think you have the right to criticize!"

Instead of looking contrite, angry, or shocked. A grim, mocking smile curled up on the corner's of Marik's words that exited his mouth were cutting.

"He sounded much more mature in your descriptions, Remus."

Ron and Hermione choked on their food with several others. A red mist began to clog Harry's sight.

"Don't judge him," said the werewolf softly. Remus Lupin's eyes were tired and on his food. "He's been through a lot. He doesn't know..."

"Of course not. He's the boy hero. I've known several of those, but I've never come across one who was so f*cking arrogant," the Egyptian wiped the corners of his mouth delicately with a serviette, "Please excuse me, Mrs. Weasley, I've just lost my appetite. Yuugi will be down in a few minutes. If he starts screaming about the injustice of life loudly enough to wake the dead, don't bother him. He's just having a case of boy-hero blues," he pushed his chair back as he stood up, facing the gaping table-folkk, "Remus, I was hoping you could put a silencing charm around Ryou's room after dinner. I will be sleeping in there too, just in case his nightmares continue. I don't want him being disturbed again." He looked pointedly at Harry with an intense dislike.

Remus, however, showed no signs of being upset. He nodded wearily. "Go ahead Marik. Yuugi probably won't leave him until you return anway."

The bronzed boy's face softened. "That's true. Yuugi's like that. He's always been a perfect little savior." A tiny smile was the last thing the diners saw before he disappeared around the corner and the silent pat of his feet touched the hall.

"Who was that?" asked Harry immediately. He initially disliked the boy, of course. Who did this 'Marik' think he was? Were his parents murdered by the most evil wizard of all time? Did he have to grow up with horrible relatives that left him malnourished? Did he watch a...friend of his die and see Voldemort rise from the dead? Did he have to fight said enemy, seeing dead people appear in the process, and then barely escape with his life? Was he attacked by Dementors this summer, and having to go to court for defending himself?

"What did you do?" asked Sirius Black, dark eyes wide in shock, "In the few days he's been here, I've never seen the boy so pissed off."

His godfather had been one of the lot to hiss at Marik's insensitivity. Harry felt a slight surge of approval. His godfather understood.

"He was shouting at Ron and Hermione," said Remus camly, who - Harry was annoyed to see - was not looking the least bit sympathetic. "He happened to be standing outside Ryou's room."

A look of understanding dawned on the animagus' face. "Ouch. You woke Ryou up? Way to get on someone's badside, Harry. Look, I know Marik was being a complete git, but at least it's a little understandable now."

Harry blinked. "Who are they anyway? I've never heard of them in my life. And how do you know that they're trustworthy?"

Remus sighed, and Sirius Black groaned; covering his eyes. Mad-Eye-Moody beamed.

"That's the spirit! Never can be too cautious these days! CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

Tonks rolled her eyes and made her face an impression of Moody's, sticking out her tongue at him. If Harry hadn't been so upset and confused, he would have found it highly entertaining.

"We don't know much about them, Harry," said Hermione tentatively. "Bill brought Ryou Bakura here about a week ago. They were attacked," she glanced, frightened, at the adults, "or something. Dumbledore said Ryou has to stay here. He went with Remus and brought Marik Ishtar and Yuugi Motou here the night after. We still haven't been told anything about them, but Ryou's going through post-traumatic stress. He hasn't slept longer than an hour at a time since he's been here due to nightmares. Yuugi and Marik have been trying to get him to sleep longer. They've been watching over him 24/7. Marik was upset because you must have woken him up when they had finally gotten him to fall asleep."

"Oh boo-hoo," muttered Harry. "Nightmares...wait, did you say his name was Ishtar?"

This time all the adults looked at him sharply.

Hermione and Ron noticed too. The female bookworm cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Yes?" her words came out with a slight squeak.

"I've heard that name before somewhere. Something to do with Egypt...and a boy with white hair...he attacked someone. There was a wound on the man's arm..."

He shivered. "And HE was very angry, and then very pleased..."

Now everyone was staring at him; shellshocked.

He blinked, waiting for someone to move, someone to speak.

"It was just a dream I had. Nothing important." Harry pushed a hand through his perpetually messy hair; remembering now, that it, indeed, had only been a dream.

"Mate," said Ron quietly, "Ryou has white hair."

"When did you have this dream?" Remus asked quietly. His golden eyes were observing him closely.

"About a week ago," said Harry uncomfortably. "Why?"

Sirius Black opened his mouth, but a meek voice spoke from the door.

"I'm sorry. I'm not interrupting, am I?""

The boy with star-like, tri-coloured hair had appeared in the doorway. He had huge violet eyes that were wide and innocent. "I don't want to be in the way," he added, twisting his hands over the bulky golden triangle that hung around his neck.

How very unlike Marik, thought Harry. This boy was shy, polite, and scarily-cute.

"No, no, come in," said Mrs. Weasley, pointing to the seat NEXT TO HARRY. She hastily served him a large amount of potatoes and piled lamb chops and mushrooms beside it, lopping on gravy and green peas.

"Hello, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Motou Yu- I mean, Yuugi Motou," he bowed to Harry. The fifteen-year-old with jet black hair and green eyes felt his anger shifting into astonishment and confusion. "And you are?"

"Harry Potter," he whispered, dazed.

"Oh?" the boy smiled brightly, climbing onto the seat beside him. "Ron and Hermione have been speaking so much about you. They've been worrying non-stop when they heard about the..." his brow crinkled cutely, "Demen...Deement..."

"Dementors," Tonks offered. Her hair was bubblegum pink again and her nose no longer resembled a snout.

Yuugi smiled at her, and the woman melted.

"That was it, Dementors! They said they could suck out your soul...is that true?"

"Yes," said Harry shortly.

"They were so relieved to hear you were all right! 'If anyone can get out of that mess, Harry can,' they said." Yuugi smiled. "I knew you would be visiting soon and I really wanted to meet you. Marik said you were probably a idiot in real life and that your friends have been romanticizing about you, but I'm sure he's just upset because Ryou's had a relapse."

For the first time since Harry had arrived, he felt bad. He felt really, really bad.

Because when Yuugi had entered, Harry had immediately hated him. And now it was impossible to even think of commiting such a felony.

Ron and Hermione were staring at the boy with astonishment crossing reverance.

"That's...understandable," croaked Harry.

Yuugi beamed at him. His food was disappearing expertly into his mouth at a dizzying speed, and yet never produced the effect of bad manners. He didn't speak without clearing his mouth of food. "Do you play Duel Monsters?"

"What?"

"Oh," Yuugi looked a little disappointed. "It's a card game. Wizards don't have it. Hermione doesn't play either. I can see you don't recognize the name. I suppose it's more popular in Japan," he brightened suddenly, "never mind! I'll teach you later!" His face suddenly went meek and contrite, "If you...want to...that is...'

Harry pushed up the wobbly corners of his mouth as an attempt to smile. "Yeah, sometime later...that would be fine."

Yuugi beamed again. Seriously, this boy was like a piece of frigging sunshine. He slipped out of his chair after an 'excuse me' and Harry realized with a jolt that Yuugi's plate was already empty. He waved happily at the starstruck diners and left the room.

"Yeah..." said Sirius Black. "That's Yuugi."

"No one can help but adore him," said Tonks dreamily. "He's so cute! Like a baby panda! You just want to pinch his cheeks!"

"All the same, you wouldn't guess he was fourteen."

"Ginny!"

Harry spluttered on a mouthful of potatoes. "He's fourteen?"

Ginny nodded, flicking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "I thought he was ten, honestly."

Mrs. Weasley stood, eyes flashing. "That's enough. Don't make fun of the poor boy because of his height. He obviously hasn't reached his growth spurt yet, that's all."

She glanced at the clock, and then scanned the empty plates around the table.

Harry had hardly noticed finishing his meal.

Ron was still nudging a tiny pea across the remains of his gravy with his fork. Hermione was watching with disapproval.

"Nearly time for bed, I think," said Mrs Weasley, standing up to clear the dishes.

"Not just yet, Molly," said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would to start asking questions about Voldemort."

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Where seconds before it had been awkwardly silent, it was now alert, even tense. A frisson had one around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Lupin, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary.

"I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order so-"

"And they're quite right," said Mrs. Weasley. "You're too young."

She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched on its arms, every trace of drowsiness gone.

"Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?" asked Sirius."Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen "

"Hang on!" interrupted George loudly.

"How come Harry gets his questions answered?" said Fred angrily.

"We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said George.

"'You're too young, you're not in the Order,'" said Fred, in a high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's. "Harry's not even of age!"

"It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly, "that's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand -"

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" said Mrs Weasley sharply. The expression on her normally kind face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"

"Which bit?" Sirius asked politely, but with the air of a man readying himself for a fight.

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know," said Mrs Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words.

Ron, Hermione, Fred and George's heads swivelled from Sirius to Mrs Weasley as though they were following a tennis rally. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned Butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open. Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius.

"I don't intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly," said Sirius. 'But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back" (again, there was a collective shudder around the table at the name) "he has more right than most to -"

"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Mrs Weasley. "He's only fifteen and -"

"And he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," said Sirius, "and more than some."

"No one's denying what he's done!" said Mrs Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. "But he's still -"

"He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently.

"He's not an adult either!" said Mrs Weasley, the colour rising in her cheeks. "He's not James,Sirius!"

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly.

"I'm not sure you are!" said Mrs Weasley. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!"

"What's wrong with that?" said Harry.

"What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!" said Mrs Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. "You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!""

"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" demanded Sirius, his voice rising.

"Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and -"

"We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!" said Sirius loudly.

"Arthur!" said Mrs Weasley, rounding on her husband. "Arthur, back me up!"

Mr Weasley did not speak at once. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he reply.  
>"Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that he is staying at Headquarters."<p>

"Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"

"Personally," said Lupin quietly, looking away from Sirius at last, as Mrs Weasley turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally, "I think it better that Harry gets the facts -not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture - from us, rather than a garbled version from ... others."

His expression was mild, but Harry felt sure Lupin, at least, knew that some Extendable Ears had survived Mrs Weasley's purge.

"Well," said Mrs Weasley, breathing deeply and looking around the table for support that did not come, "well ... I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has Harry's best interests at heart -"

"He's not your son," said Sirius quietly.

"He's as good as," said Mrs Weasley fiercely. "Who else has he got?"

"He's got me!"

"Yes," said Mrs Weasley, her lip curling, "the thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked UP in Azkaban, hasn't it?""

Sirius started to rise from his chair.

"Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry," said Lupin sharply.  
>"Sirius, sit down."<p>

Mrs Weasley's lower lip was trembling. Sirius sank slowly back into his chair, his face white.

"I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Lupin continued, "he's old enough to decide for himself."

"I want to know what's been going on," Harry said at once.

He did not look at Mrs Weasley. He had been touched by what she had said about his being as good as a son, but he was also impatient with her mollycoddling. Sirius was right, he was not a child.

"Very well," said Mrs Weasley, her voice cracking. "Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred - George -  
>I want you out of this kitchen, now."<p>

There was instant uproar.

"We're of age!" Fred and George bellowed together.

"If Harry's allowed, why can't I?" shouted Ron.

"Mum, I want to hear!" wailed Ginny.

"NO!"" shouted Mrs Weasley, standing up, her eyes overbright. "I absolutely forbid -"

"Molly, you can't stop Fred and George," said Mr Weasley wearily. "They are of age."

"They're still at school."

"But they're legally adults now," said Mr Weasley, in the same tired voice.

Mrs Weasley was now scarlet in the face.

"I - oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Ron -"

"Harry'll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!" said Ron hotly. 'Won't - won't you?" he added uncertainly, meeting Harry's eyes.

For a split second, Harry considered telling Ron that he wouldn't tell him a single word, that he could try a taste of being kept in the dark and see how he liked it. But the nasty impulse vanished as they looked at each other.

"Course I will," Harry said.

Ron and Hermione beamed.

"Fine!" shouted Mrs Weasley. "Fine! Ginny - BED!"

&Yuugi&

The King of Games was having an earnest conversation with the spirit in his head.

/Yami, I'm sure he was having an off day earlier. He is probably really nice normally - and he wanted to learn how to play Duel Monsters!/

/Yuugi, anyone would want to learn how to play Duel Monsters if you asked them in that manner./

Yuugi could feel the Pharaoh rolling his eyes. /We should see Ryou now. His shadow magick has been out of sync and explosive since he touched one of those stic-wands. He'll need us to continue to try to stabilize it./

Yami agreed readily. /It works against us,/ he began tentatively /that he saw his father being sacrificed for the sarcophagus./

/But he knows that there's a possibility that he's still alive. Everything - including time - froze inside the tomb when they took the tablet. His father hasn't been consumed yet. If we managed to bring the tablet back, and then used the Egyptian God-Cards on the Seal, we could bring him back!/

/Those chances are very low. Ryou knows this. But you are right. We must try./

There was some shouting downstairs. The strange, moving portrait joined in the screaming. Remus Lupin, a werewolf both Yuugi and Marik had gotten fond of, ran to close it. He saw Yuugi sitting on the top of the stairs, looking deep in thought.

Before yanked the curtains over the picture, he said: "Snape's going to come tomorrow with vials of dreamless sleep for Ryou."

He wrestled the curtains over a spitting Mrs. Black.

"Remus," Yuugi began hesitantly. "My phone isn't working. I need to send another message to my friends Jounouchi and Honda...and Kaiba too."

"Oh! Of course! Electricity doesn't work in magical environments. Is there any other way you can send them a message?"

Yuugi crinkled his brows. "Never mind. I'll figure something out. You probably should go back with the others. You have a very calming atmosphere about you and they need someone to ease the tension a little." he smiled at the werewolf fondly.

"I try," joked Remus lightly, "I'll talk to Dumbledore about your situation next time I see him."

Yuugi was alone again. With Yami, of course. He stood up and walked along the upstairs halls. He needed a room that was dark, quiet, and well out of the way. He knew that one of the members of this house had an eye that could see through walls.

When he found a suitable location, Yuugi pushed shadow magick into his phone and let it spider-web into the air around him. He couldn't keep doing this, it used too much shadow magick for too little time when he could let the wizards find some simpler way of communicating with his friends.

But until they figured something out, he would have to do this.

The phone came to life again. The shiny screen lit up and Yuugi glanced at the missed calls.

Yami must have also done a doubletake.

105 missed calls in the last two days. 300 text messages.

Anzu, Jounouchi, Honda, Otogi, and Mai had all texted and (attempted to) call him various times. They all wanted info and were offering assistance.

But he didn't want them to be put in danger because of him.

The surprising thing was not the amount of times his friends had called him. It was the fact that over 10 of those missed calls had been by a certain Seto Kaiba. 5 had been Mokuba. There were various text messages written by the CEO that made little sense.

'What is the meaning of this, Motou? Is this some kind of joke. Send those fools out of my house!'

At first he thought he meant Jounouchi and Anzu and Honda, but the next message said:

'You know I don't believe in that magick bullshit. Give me one good reason I shouldn't hunt you down for sending so-called 'wizards' after me.'

Yuugi's eyes widened.

The last text message of the lot said: 'Contact me. Tell those maniacs you went off with that I need to speak with their leader. There is no way that I'm having Mokuba taken away from me again.'

Yuugi slowly released the shadow magick from the phone and room.

/the Priest always gets involved, no matter how much he attempts to avoid it./

Yuugi didn't correct the Pharaoh for calling Kaiba the Priest this time. He didn't bother. He was walking quickly towards Ryou's room.

/We need to talk to Marik and Ryou. Marik can't keep using the necklace. It doesn't merge with him properly./

/Kaiba must be contacted again and a meeting must be arranged between him and Albus Dumbledore./

/I don't think that worked out so well last time./

He was standing outside Ryou's room now. He tapped lightly on the door.

*It's me.*

*Come in.*

Marik was sitting beside Ryou, who was greyish in the face and breathing heavily. His hair was sweaty and wild. His eyes were unnaturally bright. The albino reached over Marik and grabbed the necklace without pulling it out of the Egyptian boy's grip.

Slowly, the shuddering of his body calmed and a little colour sank into his face. His grip relaxed.

Marik and Yuugi stared as Ryou curled up in Marik's lap, still touching the Millennium Necklace, and began to fall asleep.

Ryou had not touched the food Yuugi had brought up earlier. The King of Games had feared as much.

*What happened?*

*He started having a fit. I don't know why he isn't getting better. I mean, his soul is still damaged from Bakura's exile, and he has been through immense stress, but he really ought to be getting better physically.*

*The Necklace seemed to calm him down.*

*Yes. That's very odd.*

*Perhaps it merges with him well. Ryou was always interesting in seeing the future.*

*Hm. What did you come here for. Any news?*

Yuugi told him about the messages from Kaiba.

*Doesn't sound like he was attacked, just uneasy. I wonder who they are, though. Surely not anyone from here. Dumbledore would have sent word if it he had something to do with this.*

*You never know. I still don't trust him. Remus Lupin, I trust vaguely, but I wouldn't say anyone else here. Maybe the woman - Mrs. Weasley. Rishid has gotten the clans together. They have to follow his orders for now. Ishizu is following a lead to Russia.*

*Russia? Wow.*

There was a short silence. Yami spoke through Yuugi: *We need to find a way to get in contact with the Priest. If he joins us, our magick will be multiplied tenfold. Together we are all far stronger.*

Marik looked at him dubiously. *Kaiba doesn't even believe in magick. How do expect him to be able to do any of that stuff.*

A sly, unYuugi-like look crept over the young boy's face.

*I'll duel him into submission.*

So? REVIEW please and I'll update.  
>Who else thought Harry was a wobbly ball of angst in the fifth booK? I mean, poor boy, but I liked him better in books three and four.<br>Marik's father carved into his back, his mother died in childbirth, and he went through so much trauma that his mind created a monsterous friend (who later killed his father and forced the rest of his family, including himself into submission) to keep him company. Kinda makes living with the Dursleys look like Disney moments.

Yami Marik: I AM NOT MONSTEROUS. Monsters have nightmares of ME!

Marik: I don't like Harry. Yuugi's a hero, that boy's just a dick.

Yuugi: Marik, don't be mean. He's probably gone through a lot...

Yami: Marik is also stressed, Yuugi. Let all things piece together in time.

Ryou: Why am I so ill from touching a stick? I don't understand. I was fine in that other chapter...

Bakura: Because you're a wimp and are allergic to any sort of danger.

Jounouchi: MY NAME WAS MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER!

Mai, Anzu, Honda, Otogi *lift eyebrows*

Kaiba brothers: Hn.

(anyone notice the panda references from Yugioh abridged?) :D

REVIEW OR I'LL MAKE ANZU GIVE YOU A FRIENDSHIP SPEECH! 


	11. Chapter 11

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

(A/N there may be pairings(in all probability one-sided infatuations), but it is unlikely that I'll pair all our shadow mages up. I mean, really, in real life or in books, not everyone finds someone or settles down. I will not clarify who will fall for who, because I'd like to keep it a surprise! But guess away :D)

MY CHAPTERS JUST GET LONGER AND LONGER...yay!

BTW:  
>Just to clarify some things:<p>

(Ryou: sees auras.

Yuugi: calms people with his presence.

Marik: senses strong intentions: good or bad)

Seto CAN use Shadow Mage magick (yes, an Item chose him, so obviously...). HARRY iS NOT GOING TO HAVE SHADOW MAGE POWERS! He is not a mage, and even though he has a little sliver of Voldemort's soul in him, it's hardly half his soul. And Voldemort is hardly a shadow mage either.

Bakura: Snake-man? A shadow mage...? Are you trying to insult us *pulls out a knife*

Ryou: Harry doesn't have a damaged soul. He can't be a shadow mage. Sirius does, but I don't think he's one either.

Marik: That teenage twerp could never be a mage. No level of discipline. And that's ME speaking. I think that Potter boy is competing as one of my most hated alies, and that's going up against KAIBA! (Binky-boy :D)

Yami Marik: Any other Yami's and Hikari's would be getting a little repetitive. *nods*

Yuugi: O_O *gaping*

Yami: *fainting*

Mokuba: did Yami Marik just say something normal?

Seto Kaiba: these 'Yami's' don't exist Mokuba. *keeps typing on his laptop*

the others: let's pretend Marik ate the cat, and then we'll all feel normal again.

* * *

><p>Ryou sat up suddenly. So suddenly, did he rise, that a body jolted beside him and Marik's eyes snapped open, a hand instinctively brandishing a knife at the doorway.<p>

*You're awake!* the Egyptian boy immediately dropped the knife and grabbed Ryou's wrist to check the time.

His eyes in slits and his mouth tight, Marik spoke: *Five hours.* He slipped a cool hand over Ryou's forehead, brushing the feathery bangs out of his eyes.

*Your temperature has returned to normal. It seems,* he crushed Ryou's fist harder over something very solid and lumpy (which, the albino realized with a pinching feeling in his stomach, was the Millennium Necklace) *that this Item merges well with you. Although it does not correspond perfectly...* Ryou felt the unspoken words: 'like the Ring' *it re-established your inner magick core. You should be fully recovered in the next few days.*

Marik leaned back, stretching bronzed limbs. There was an unreadable expression on his face. For unknown reasons, he switched to English. "You saw him, didn't you."

Ryou did not ask his best friend of whom he was referring. He nodded slowly; swallowing painfully.

Marik noticed and silently offered him a cup of dubious, amber-coloured liquid. His odd expression had not altered. If anything it had intensified a little.

Ryou choked on the strong drink, eyes wide and tearing up a little. "What is this?"

"Brandy," said Marik calmly. "I snitched some from downstairs." He tipped up the cup back to his friend's lips, "Drink some more."

His tone left no room for argument. Ryou obediently sipped and blinked away the water in his eyes. In a minute, all the dizziness faded and a pleasant buzzing filled his ears.

"That's enough," Marik's hand reached out and pried the cup from his fingers. Tanned hands pushed him gently back onto the pillows of his bed. Ryou's hair fell around his face with a little 'pouf'.

Marik pushed away the hairs that had gotten into Ryou's eyes and carefully felt his forehead again.

"Are you comfortable? No dizziness, over-exhaustion?" His gaze probed Ryou's.

He shook his head. "I'm tired," he admitted. "But not enough to fall asleep yet."

He closed his eyes and snuggled into the covers; purring softly. "So warm..." his pale fingers dug into the soft mess of duvet around him.

He could feel eyes on him. Marik was watching closely. Ryou didn't understand why.

Marik had always been a little protective and since he had become ill, the Egyptian had taken care of him so painstakingly. It nearly hurt, how wonderful Marik was. But it was odd; having him just standing there silently, watching like that.

Ryou cracked his eyes open and patted the space beside him. "Sit?"

He felt the mattress groan as Marik sat. Still, the boy said nothing. Just stared. Scrutinized.

Ryou turned his face away in slight discomfort. It was queer to have Marik say nothing. Marik was rarely silent. Marik being quiet for a long time was as odd as the idea of Seto Kaiba going googly-eyed over a bubbly cheerleader*cough*slut*cough*. Not happening.

Finally, Marik's voice came from beside him. "Ryou. He...he came, you said he did. You can tell me. Tell me what happened."

Ryou felt a burning in his eyes before wetness clogged his eyelashes. There was a strange cramped feeling in his lungs. It took him the good part of five minutes to merely get his mouth to form words.

Father. Dear, _dear_ father. I'm sorry. It's my fault. I wasn't good enough. I never was.

Ryou told Marik, in shaky, tremulous tones, what he had seen that day at the tomb. Ryou had never told Marik the details. He had been depressed, not to mention ill to the point of being hallucinogenic, and Marik had found out more through Ryou's daily silence, and shrieking nightmares than anything else.

When he finally broke down and cried, cried, cried, he felt arms encircle him. Ryou felt more ashamed than ever. He was so weak. What boy his age cried?

"One who's gone through more in the last few years than most people do in a lifetime," said Marik sharply, and Ryou realized that he had asked that last question aloud.

But Marik had gone through just as much. Why couldn't he be strong like Marik? Marik had fought his Yami; conspired against him.

The naturally soft features of Marik's face that were so often tight and sharp with pain and hidden emotions had become tighter still and his eyes had narrowed to bright slits.

"We'll make it better, Ryou. We'll make it better."

And still, there was that unreadable expression that came when he glanced at the albino in his arms.

Marik was the greatest friend. Marik may worship Yuugi's very footprints, but he was Ryou's best friend.

Ryou hugged him tightly, downy head nestling in the crook of the Egyptian boy's neck. Long eyelashes fluttered shut, like silk against his cheek. Little, hot puffs of breath hit Marik's chest.

Comforted and recovering, mentally and physically, Ryou fell asleep.

And although Marik did not for the next few hours, he did not budge an inch.

&Harry&

Harry woke up the next morning; his mind buzzing with thoughts and wild speculations.

Ever since last night when Sirius mentioned a 'weapon' Voldemort was going after, he had tried to figure out what it was. All the same, his best bet was to discover Hermione's thoughts on the matter and mull them over.

George called him for breakfast (in fact, that was how Harry had woken up in the first place) and when he mentioned Doxy-cleaning, Harry was too caught in his thoughts to complain.

That, and, being in the same house as the Dursleys for a long period of time made absolutely anything seem enchanting in comparison.

Harry was also wondering about the foreigners. They were young - just his age, in fact - and Mrs Weasley had repeatedly clarified that they were most definitely not part of the Order. She was so busy being defensive that she let it slip that they were here for protection.

So Hermione had been right. Ryou had been attacked. Did this somehow tie in with the 'weapon'? If it did, it would be good to question the foreign children.

Where were they from, actually? He had never found out.

Half an hour later Harry and Ron, who had dressed and breakfasted quickly, entered the drawing room, a long, high-ceilinged room on the first floor with olive green walls covered in dirty tapestries.

The carpet exhaled little clouds of dust every time someone put their foot on it and the long, moss green velvet curtains were buzzing as though swarming with invisible bees.

It was around these that Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George were grouped, all looking rather peculiar as they had each tied a cloth over their nose and mouth. Each of them was also holding a large bottle of black liquid with a nozzle at the end.

"Cover your faces and take a spray," Mrs Weasley said to Harry and Ron the moment she saw them, pointing to two more bottles of black liquid standing on a spindle-legged table. "It's Doxycide. I've never seen an infestation this bad - what that house-elf's been doing for the last ten years -'"

Hermione's face was half concealed by a tea towel but Harry distinctly saw her throw a reproachful look at Mrs Weasley.

"Kreacher's really old, he probably couldn't manage -"

"You'd be surprised what Kreacher can manage when he wants to, Hermione," said Sirius, who had just entered the room carrying a bloodstained bag of what appeared to be dead rats.

"I've just been feeding Buckbeak," he added, in reply to Harrys inquiring look. "I keep him upstairs in my mothers bedroom. Anyway ... this writing desk ..."

He dropped the bag of rats into an armchair, then bent over to examine the locked cabinet which, Harry now noticed for the first time, was shaking slightly.

"Well, Molly, I'm pretty sure this is a Boggart," said Sirius, peering through the keyhole, "but perhaps we ought to let Mad-Eye have a shifty at it before we let it out - knowing my mother, it could be something much worse."

"Right you are, Sirius," said Mrs Weasley.

They were both speaking in carefully light, polite voices that told Harry quite plainly that neither had forgotten their disagreement of the night before.

A loud, clanging bell sounded from downstairs, followed at once by the cacophony of screams and wails that had been triggered the previous night by Tonks knocking over the umbrella stand.

"I keep telling them not to ring the doorbell!" said Sirius exasperatedly, hurrying out of the room.

They heard him thundering down the stairs as Mrs Black's screeches echoed up through the house once more:

'Stains, of dishonour, filthy half-breeds, blood traitors, children of filth...!'

"Close the door, please, Harry," said Mrs Weasley.

Harry walked over to the door and would have listened in a little to the conversation in the hallway, but as he touched the knob to close the door, someone appeared in the doorway.

"Marik?" said Mrs. Weasley, sounding surprised. "I thought you were watching Ryou."

The scowling Egyptian boy nodded, blinking his eyes rapidly. "Ryou's awake now. Yuugi's sitting with him. His fever's gone and he's stopped coug-I mean he's actually slept a decent amount of time."

Harry had noticed that neither cheerful Yuugi, nor ten-cutting-insults-per-second Marik, nor this mysterious Ryou (that he had already pegged as a sickly looking, white-haired dufus of a Hufflepuff) had been present at breakfast.

They were all watching Marik interact with Mrs. Weasley curiously.

Ron had told him last night that the foreigners hardly spoke with anyone except Remus, (a couple times with Sirius), occasionally Snape, and Dumbledore himself. Yuugi had talked with everyone in the house at least once, but even he was usually sleeping after staying up long nights beside Ryou's bed.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes were still narrowed over the half-way-through-word-then-sudden-change that Marik had pulled off. But her motherliness had yet to falter. "You should really get some rest yourself. Ryou has been prime concern, I understand, but you have been staying up most days and nights all week! You look like death warmed up."

Harry had not noticed at first, but after second glance at Marik's face he saw heavy, dark bruises beneath his eyes and droopy eyelids. Marik's hands were twitching involuntarily, but they stilled when the Weasley matron spoke.

"I'm fine. Ryou slept soundly last night. Five hours straight, then another seven. I've had plenty of sleep. Since I have presently nothing to do, I thought I'd make myself useful. I am, after all, living off your mercies."

Before anyone could utter a word, Marik was fastening a cloth over his stiff features and Ginny tossed him her Doxicide, announcing that she was going to retrieve another.

Fred and George gave her jealous looks, knowing for certain that even if she did so she would take her time while doing it.

Ginny walked past Harry and muttered: "I'll see what I can find out."

Then with a flick of flower-scented red hair, she was gone.

Squirting Doxies was not Harry's choice way of spending the day.

Although, he was happy to hear from Fred and George about their plans for the joke shop. He was very pleased at the method of which the Tri-Wizard Tournament prize money was going to be put to use.

Marik was just as grumpy as ever. When half a dozen Doxies decided to attack him at once, he shot three of them down - fast as lightning - dodged two, and smashed the third in the face with his spray bottle.

Harry winced with Hermione. The bushy-haired girl gave the Egyptian boy dirty looks for the rest of the time they cleaned.

Ginny had spent a good half hour 'getting a new spray'. Her eyes glittered as she passed him, and Harry knew she had discovered some important information. Probably only a scrap, but every scrap was useful.

When cleaning time was over, Marik slipped out the door silently. His bronze skin gleamed in a sliver of light peaking from between the curtains.

Harry glanced at the others before following him slowly. He wanted to know why Marik was so important, or rather, why Ryou was so important. Did they have information on Voldemort? If so, what information?

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, and then went after him.

"Where's he from?" whispered Harry, without turning.

"Egypt," hissed Hermione back. "Ryou's Japanese, and so is Yuugi, but Marik's Egyptian. Come to think of it, I think they were all in Egypt recently. They all can speak the language."

That was odd. They must be fluent in at least three languages...unless they used a language charm...

"Another thing," said the female of the Golden Trio. "I've never seen any of them holding a wand."

"Bloody nutter," whispered Ron about their quarry, and Harry agreed with the sentiment.

"What are you lot doing?" snapped a voice. Marik had stopped just before a door on the far end of the hall. He was glaring at them.

Something about Marik's anger drew Harry's out. He glared defiantly back.

"We...we wanted to see Ryou? Is he okay now?"

The Egyptian boy's eyes locked on the speaker. He gazed at Hermione for a few long moments before saying anything.

Then he said: "Ryou's not 'okay' yet, but I think he'll like to talk with you, Hermione."

The girl gave a little squeak. Harry had the feeling that Marik had never used her name before.

Just then, downstairs, there was yelling. Mrs. Weasley was screaming about Stolen Cauldrons. Mrs. Black was all-to-eager to join in the yelling.

An irritable look crossed Marik's face. "In." He said shortly, opening the door and motioning quickly inside.

Hermione hurried in nervously, and after half a second Ron and Harry followed. Marik closed the door behind them with an audible click-click.

"W-wait!" said Hermione, "T-this isn't Ryou's room!"

There were manacles on the walls and various rows of axes. Red, blotchy stains - some had turned rusty-brown - covered the walls in places.

Before Harry could spin around, he was pushed into a chair and cuffs sprang onto his wrists.

Ron pulled out his wand, but it flew out of his hand as did Hermione's. The girl ran for the door with a silent shriek.

It was locked. She tugged at it, wild-eyed and shaking.

"Now," said Marik calmly, pointing Ron and Hermione's wands at them, "We can have a little _chat_."

&Yuugi&

Ryou was pale-face and shaky, but otherwise he was unhurt.

He had agreed to play a game of Duel Monsters with Yuugi, although he said it was obvious who was going to win.

Yuugi blushed and muttered about Ryou's excellent tactics. Yuugi had always been modest. Even though he knew he was the best. He'd have to be stupid not to, and Yuugi was far from stupid.

Yuugi was just beginning to get a lead on Ryou when Yami's voice spoke in his head. /Someone's coming, you might want to hide the Necklace./

Ryou, who still clutched the Millennium item glanced at Yuugi, awaiting his turn.

"Hide the Necklace," said Yuugi quickly. "Someone's coming."

Since Ryou had told, however vaguely, the wizards about the items they used for magick, the Shadow Mages had been very careful to hide them.

Shadi still had the Millennium Key and the Millennium Scales. The Ring was kept in a pouch on Yuugi's person at all times. Seto Kaiba still had the Rod, Ryou was presently using the Necklace, and the Puzzle was around Yuugi's neck, as he would not lose sight of it for a moment and it was far too bulky to hide well anyway.

The only one unaccounted for was the Eye. It was odd that it had disappeared like that...

Malik wore so much golden jewelery that various members of the order often stared at him. It was possible that any of his jewelery could appear to be an Item. Yuugi and Yami had debated over whether the English wizards were suspicious over this fact, but whether they were or weren't, there was nothing to be done about it.

Ryou slipped the fist full of Shadow Mage magick under his duvet.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. Without waiting longer than a moment for an answer or recognition, the door jerked open and Severus Snape appeared, carrying several vials and a couple of letters in his arms. He lined the bottles on the table near Ryou.

"Dreamless Sleep, Migraine, Post-Traumatic-Stress Medication," a long white finger touched each of the stoppers in their respective bottles as he named them. Snape curled his lip back in disdain. "I believe Dumbledore will see you this evening. He told me to give you three letters, but I believe your other bodyguard isn't here."

"Arigato, I mean, thank you Sensei-Snape!" said Ryou trying to stand up and bow. Yuugi pushed him down gently and then bowed alongside him.

The two boys beamed at the Potions Master, who - for someone who masked their emotions remarkably well - looked a touch surprised.

/Scandalized,/ Yami corrected, sounding mildly amused.

Severus Snape nodded stiffly, as if irritated that they had managed to catch him off guard. Then, with a parting sneer and a swish of black robes, he was gone.

"We need to speak with Dumbledore," Yuugi ran a hand through his wilderness of spiky hair.

Ryou looked up from his card. "About Kaiba?"

Yuugi nodded. Yami offered: /He sounded even more pissed off than usual./

Ryou's eyes drifted across the room as if trying to focus on an invisible object. "Did the Pharaoh just speak?"

"Your eyes," clarified the albino in reply to Yuugi's apparent curiosity, "they glaze over when you speak usually, but sometimes when he says something that you don't consider fair, you scrunch up your eyebrows together, like this."

Ryou acted out the motion.

"Oh. I never realized that." /Better work on your poker-face, Aibou./

Then /Aibou. I think something is going on with Marik. You should check on him./

Yuugi ignored the voice in his head.

Ryou laughed. "You did it again." He then began to choke on his laughter. A white hand snatched up a handkerchief and placed it against trembling lips.

When Ryou lowered the crumpled square of thin tissue-cloth, there was splattered crimson on it.

"No need to worry, Yuugi," the half-Brit laughed carefully (avoiding another choking spell) at the King of Game's expression, "Marik says when my magick core completes repairing itself, that will stop happening."

Yuugi was worried, though. And judging from the way Marik had held his lips tightly together when he watched Ryou, the Egyptian Mage was too.

He fiddled with the tall thin glass vial that Snape had put Post-Traumatic...wait! He had seen this medication before. Same colour, same smell, different vessel. But who, out of all the people he knew, took medication for trauma?

"Ryou, have you ever taken medication for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder before?" He tapped the vial lightly with a tiny finger.

The white-haired boy froze.

"Oh? Yes...for about a year. When mother and Amane..."

Yuugi, feeling very sorry for bringing it up, dove across the bed to clutch Ryou's shaky fingers. "You don't need to talk about it. I was just wondering."

Not Ryou then. Yuugi had not even known him until years after his parents died.

"Does Marik?"

"I don't know. Maybe he did before, goodness knows he's been through trauma!" Ryou fiddled with his fingers, sounding suddenly very guilty. "But he's probably changed to pills. Once he got out of that...that hole, and ventured into civilization. Most people use pills. I did."

/It was likely the Tomb Keeper, then./ said Yami thoughtfully. /I do not know anyone else who would take what may appear to be a less-than-modern cure. I do not think Ishizu or Rishid ever had to take any medication. But Aibou, there is no need to worry yourself over it. In all likelihood, it is someone you met only briefly./

Yuugi sighed. Ryou watched him closely, before flipping Change-Of-Hearts around his fingers. The game cards lay scattered and forgotten.

"I'm sorry," said Yuugi aloud, speaking to both Yami and Ryou, "Everything is going so topsy-turvy, I've begun to mull over every little thing. I think Marik is too."

"I suppose," said Ryou softly, staring into his lap and the Change-Of-Hearts "That it is like a repeat of Battle City, except we are not the villains this time."

Yami said nothing, but Yuugi felt the agreement behind his silence. "You and Marik were never villains. You never wanted to hurt anybody!"

"But I let him," Ryou looked up and tears were forming in the corners of his large bambi eyes, "I didn't even fight him. I am weak! Just look at me! I am weak! Weak! Both you and Marik have had to look after me simply because I touched a stupid stick and somehow my body rejects it. I always have to be looked after. You saved the world by shutting away ancient evils, what did I do? I harbored an ancient evil and made it extremely difficult for anyone and everyone!"

Yuugi stared at Ryou in horror. "Ryou, surely you don't think of yourself that way. He grabbed Ryou's wrists and looked him in the eye. Tell me you don't think of yourself that way! It wasn't your fault!"

"Marik had an evil Yami too," muttered Ryou, turning away from the King of Games. "He fought him."

Yami was silent still, but this time it was the awkward kind of silence where one wants to say something reassuring, but comes up blank.

Yuugi grabbed Ryou's chin with a tiny, soft hand and turned Ryou's face to his own. Huge violet eyes met huge bambi ones. Both sets were wet, and yet the tears did not fall. "Look at me, Ryou. You - are - not - evil. And you - are - not - weak. You - are - not - useless! Do you really think Marik would be friends with someone useless?"

Ryou cracked a smile, thinking of his best friend's grumbling of useless people. The tears began to trickle from his eyes as they crinkled upwards. "No...I guess not."

He managed a weak laugh, brushing the tears out of his eyes and looking thoroughly embarrassed for crying at all. Yuugi's tears had also fallen, though.

He cried for many people. They said his heart was too big. People should not weep for their enemies.

But Yuugi had no enemies. The King of Games had allies, friends, and future allies, future friends. His future friends and allies were merely a little confused at the moment, and perhaps needed to be exorcized. (:D)

But they would eventually adore him.

/Everyone adores you, Aibou,/ said Yami softly, and there was a strange intensity in the way he spoke. /Everyone will always adore you...perhaps even against their will.../

And he was silent again, leaving his hikari slightly confused.

#Later#  
>&amp;Marik&amp;<p>

Marik was having an excellent day. Sure, the Doxies had been a little irritating to tackle (he had been very tired, but not enough to fall asleep), but honestly, after living underground and having your skin carved off, as well as being charged with murdering your own father, blah blah blah etc, it was hard to complain about trifles like Doxies.

Ryou was feeling better, and he had finally gotten at that nosy Potter boy. Of course, Marik had simply scared them a little and warned them to keep their abnormally nosiness away from Ryou.

He had been a little nicer to Hermione, because she really had tried to be civil to him the past week and was actually concerned about Ryou.

He had also found out why they were so curious. They seemed to think that Marik, Ryou, or Yuugi had information on a secret weapon.

Well Yuugi most certainly did (but not even Dumbledore knew about the Yami's or the extent of Shadow magick), and all the Shadow Mages had secrets, not to mention skeletons in the closet. The last thing they needed were snot-nosed brats digging up dirt on them.

Well, he rubbed his hands gleefully together. He had definitely put a stopper on that.

With a little added skip to his step, Marik went into Ryou's room to check if the albino had eaten dinner.

Someone was talking inside the room. It didn't sound like Yuugi. No, he had passed the adorable panda-boy in the hall. Marik narrowed his eyes and pushed the door open.

He blinked at the sight.

Ryou had a tray across his lap ladened with a bowl of steaming soup and a plate of vegetables. A glass of juice with three iceblocks was on the corner of the tray, next to utensils and serviettes.

But that was not surprising. Even though Yuugi had not brought any dinner up.

Sitting beside Ryou - right beside Ryou - was the youngest redhead in the Weasley family, and consequently, the only female child in said family.

She was playing with Ryou's hair. "Goodness! It's sooo soft! Tell me your secret! What do you put in it?" And then she had the nerve to flash him a pretty smile.

"Hmm," Ryou spoke in a deep voice, nodding solemnly, eyes twinkling, "a wizard never reveals his hair products!" And he swished his long, silky mane to emphasize his point.

Ginny mock-pouted. She had really nice lips, actually, Marik noticed. Her bare legs were on the bed, one crossed over the other (right beside Ryou's) long and smooth and thin. She had removed her shoes and was presently wearing a short, checkered skirt.

Marik had not seen this coming.

Ryou caught sight of Marik in the doorway. He waved brightly. "Marik! Here, Ginny brought us dinner up. She said that all the folks downstairs are still in sour moods from cleaning." He tilted his head cutely to one side, "Is it true that you have to wrestle with moving curtains and various household appliances try to kill you?" His eyes were gleaming; as bright as diamonds.

Marik entered stiffly. He didn't trust the girl. Why was she so close to Ryou anyway? And why were they laughing so much together. Only HE made Ryou laugh that much.

But he couldn't help crack a smile at Ryou's morbid happiness at the thought of vengeful household items set on murder.

"Oh yes," Ginny nodded seriously. "We were attacked by large spiders too - Ron's deadly afraid of them, ran from the room the moment they appeared - and there was a music box that began putting us to sleep before I slammed the lid shut."

"It's a good thing that someone there had some sense," beamed Ryou at the pretty girl, and Marik's dislike of her grew, "Although, I'm sure Marik would have ended up karate-chopping it in half if he had been close." Ryou giggled. "He did that before to..."

Marik decided that this 'Ginny' was trying to pump Ryou for information. She was being altogether too nice, too suddenly. And bringing Ryou food up? As well as Marik's? There was obviously something going on. Not to mention the short skirt and freshly waxed legs...

The Egyptian boy picked up his plate as he heard Ginny saying: "I don't know what happened, but Harry and Ron and Hermione all looked thoroughly shaken when we started on the cabinets. Ron kept muttering something about torture, but I think he was talking about the cleaning."

Marik hid a wide grin behind a forkful of steamed asparagus.

"Harry's going to court soon, actually. He used a Patronus to get rid of some Dementors that attacked him, and the stupid asses in the Ministy have the nerve to charge him with using 'under-aged magic' and perhaps even expelling him from Hogwarts and breaking his wand!"

Ryou looked dutifully horror-stricken. Marik did not. Big deal. He gave up his magick. Would this Harry boy die without magick? Would he stop breathing without magick?

Marik had tackled leadership of his whole clan and had gone up against the EGYPTIAN MAFIA without magick and come out victorious.

He didn't think much of the Potter dweeb anyway.

"What's a Dementor, and a Patronus?" asked Ryou carefully.

Ginny seemed surprised. Marik quickly cut in: "We don't have Dementors in Egypt."

She blinked and nodded, surprised that he had even spoken. Her eyes grew dark and far away as she quoted, with text-book perfection: "Dementors are among the foulest creatures to walk this earth. They feed on every good feeling, every happy memory until a person is left with nothing but his worst experiences."

Ryou had gone sickly pale, his hands were shaking. Marik was clutching the fork in his left hand so hard that he was certain it would snap in two.

"That's not all," said Ginny quietly. "If they manage to get close to you...they can give you something called a Dementor's Kiss. They...they reach down and suck out your soul..."

Ryou's spoon clattered onto the tray. He was hyperventilating.

Marik realized suddenly what Ryou was thinking. Soul...sucking out souls...and putting them into dolls...

"The Patronus charm," Ginny's voice grew tight and caught at places, "is the only charm that repel them. The Dementors affect Harry more than others because there are horrible things in his past that other people have not gone through. He was taught the Patronus charm in his third year by Remus Lupin," Marik looked up at her, "two years ago. And now the idiots at the Ministy are trying to expel him for saving his own soul!" Her brown eyes flashed.

Marik realized, with some unsettlement, that Ginny's eyes were nearly the exact shade of Ryou's when she was angry.

when Ginny left, clearing Ryou's empty tray and Marik's plate, the Shadow Mages were silent. Ryou was still shaking silently. Dolls...putting souls in dolls.

Marik squeezed his arm and Ryou jumped out of his reverie. "Ryou. We need to learn how to repel those weird-ass creatures. I do not want to see _him_ again."

And the albino nodded fervently.

Yuugi walked in only moments after, with Dumbledore in tow. Yuugi was cheerful and bubbly. Marik could tell at once that it was a little forced. Yuugi did that sometimes. When he was anxious.

"Is it true," the aged wizard asked Marik, lifting an eyebrow, "that you tied Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter, by their feet, to the ceiling of the torture room in an attempt to coerce information out of them, and you let the terrified Hermione Granger watch?"

Ryou and Yuugi stared at Marik. Then, simultaneously, they looked away. Ryou covered his eyes with one hand. *Please, Marik,* he switched from English, *tell me you didn't.*

"An exaggeration," said the Egyptian Mage flippantly, hiding an enormous grin behind a poker-face and mentally doing a happy-dance. "They were attempting to spy on me, so I locked them in the room - removing their nasty little wands - and pushed them into binding chairs. I questioned them thoroughly. I may have," he added as a casual afterthought, "hung the Potter *asshole* upsidedown for a few moments when he insulted me, but otherwise, the lot were as right as rain!"

Ryou and Yuugi made fertive gestures to quiet him, and then sighed in despair. At least the silver-bearded Headmaster did not know the Egyptian word for asshole, and Marik did not know the English version. They had been, very, very careful not to let Marik learn any English curses, no matter how mild.

"Marik..."

Dumbledore's eyebrows had risen higher since the Egyptian boy had spoken. "I would like to speak with all of you about your future."

"Actually," Yuugi was hopping nervously from one foot to the other, "Um...Sensei, Kaiba sent me a message earlier, when you let me out of the building. (A/N ooooh, Yuugi's uncomfortable with half lies) He says he needs to speak with you. Something about wizards following him around, and something to do with Mokuba - that's his younger brother - being taken away."

The Headmaster looked at the small boy curiously. "Would he be working now?"

"He's always working," said Ryou dully. "Seto Kaiba doesn't know the meaning of a day off."

"You used Binky-boy's first name! Wow Ryou, I feel love in the air!" Marik threw up his hands in mock surprise.

"He said he wanted to see you as soon as possible," said Yuugi tentatively.

Dumbledore's light blue eyes twinkled over his half-moon spectacles, "We can go now, if you like."

Yuugi, Marik, and Ryou simultaneously blinked. "Okay..."

"Ryou shouldn't be out of bed," said Marik quickly, while Yuugi said: "Take us outside and let me call him first."

Ryou said: "Do you know the directions?" and then "You should probably wear something besides those robes. Kaiba doesn't like anything abnormal."

"Except the size of his ego..." muttered Marik.

Yuugi admonished him properly, and Ryou insisted he could come.

"He likes me better than either of you."

"He still hates you."

"Not as much as he hates you or you, or even you!" he pointed at Dumbledore, who seemed thoroughly confused.

"Why would he hate me?"

"Kaiba dislikes everyone other than Mokuba." "Kaiba doesn't like magick - he doesn't even believe in it for that matter." "You look happy. He doesn't like happy people."

Dumbledore's eyebrows were in danger of rising above his head.

Ryou threw the blankets off and pulled the sleeves of a patchy coat (courtesy of Mrs. Weasley) over his arms. He had already been dressed in bed.

"Let's go."

Marik sighed deeply. "Kaibacorp. Here we come."

"I think Kaiba must be really nice, deep inside."

Marik gawked at Ryou. "I thought that would be something for Yuugi to say. For a minute there, I forgot you are as horribly nice as him," he scoffed, rolling his eyes "_Kaiba nice_? Maybe deep, deep, deep, deep, deep-"

Dumbledore turned an old hat into a Portkey.

"-deep, deep, deep, deep, deep-"

"Hold on. This will take us to a secluded area in the Muggle countryside."

"Muggle means non-magickal, Yuugi."

"-deep, deep, deep, deep-"

"You can phone him there. Hold on, it will leave in a few moments."

"Marik put your hand on!"

"-deep, deep, deep-"

"You're giving me a migraine."

There was a flash and the four disappeared.

A word echoed around the room.

"Inside."

* * *

><p>OKAY...REVIEW. Do you want me to continue making the chapters longer or do you prefer them short and to the point? The Kaiba brothers return in the next chapter, and Harry goes to court. Dumbledore makes an offer, and surprises happen. Sirius has to what...?<p>

REVIEW AND FIND OUT.

Ryou: I hate Dementors. Isn't there some way to kill them? I mean, if it's possible to kill a dark spirit that resides in golden jewelery and turns mortals into playing figures, I'm sure there's got to be some way to kill these guys...um...wraiths...um...things.

Bakura: BUT YOU CANNOT KILL ME! MWAHAHAHAHA...they're wraiths, idiot Yadonushi!

Marik: we need to discover a way of doing the Patronus charm. I do not think our magick works the same way as these wizards'.

Yami Marik: yummy, yummy cat...

Yami and Yuugi: Normality is restored. Gross.

Kaiba: Just my luck. The dweebs are coming over now. I'm probably in the middle of an important meeting.

Mokuba: But Nii-sama, you called them in the first place!

*Kaiba carefully ignores this*: Hn.


	12. Chapter 12

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

Okay, I'm seriously wondering if any of you actually read what I put here? Do you? BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH...MARIK...KIDNAP...RYOU...MURDER..YUUGI...ABUSE...BLAHBLAHBLAH...  
>Just wondering.<br>If you do, throw up your suggestions for pairings. I may heed them, if you give a good arguement (pros and cons).Anyway, give me your thoughts on the matter.

Ryou: Please add in a wealth of details.

Bakura: Wealth? Did somebody say wealth? *looks for something to steal*

Marik: Ryou isn't going to get together with that Weasel-girl, is he?

Yami Marik: Jealous?

Marik: Don't be ridiculous, I'm hardly jealous of Ryou if he does. She's not THAT goodlooking.

Yami Marik: wasn't talking about **HER**. *snickers*

Yuugi holds Marik back *power of chibi-eyes* from killing his yami. Yami watches; hoping that Marik will kill his dark anyway.

Seto Kaiba: You really ought to throw in a disclaimer.

Mokuba: Why? Screw the rules! :D

* * *

><p>Please be mindful that though this story may seem to be moving slowly, there will be many, many chapters and soon it ought to speed successively. Sorry about taking ages over this. I had to re-write this chapter several times.<p>

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE FAVED AND LEFT REVIEWS, AND ALL YOU ALERTERS wHO ARE INTERESTED.

Mokuba Kaiba was not stupid.

True, he had only been adopted by Gozaburo due to his elder brother's intelligence and audaciousness. He had only been kept as a mere reminder to keep Seto Kaiba on track and to quell any outbursts the blue-eyed boy might have.

Seto Kaiba was the child prodigy. He was the genius. He was the reason why Gozaburo gained an extra nine million the year after he was adopted. He was everything that a tight-fisted CEO wanted for a successor.

Mokuba was just an extra; a screw in place to hold Seto Kaiba together.

All the same, Mokuba was not stupid.

He had seen the shadows under his brother's eyes and noticed how his brother's hand twitched to his drawer whenever there was a noise. He would freeze suddenly for no reason and became even more reclusive then he already was.

He hadn't even thrown an insult to Jounouchi last time they passed each other. That had hammered the last nail into the coffin.

Something was terribly wrong.

When they had gotten all those joke letters, the blue-eyed CEO had been thoroughly annoyed and blamed the mutt as well as Yuugi Motou's cheerleading squad. He had grumbled and Mokuba had avoided him. He was still upset about what happened at the Ishtars. He had yet to fully forgive his brother.

But then they kept coming. Letters, letters, letters.

And then today, those people had come. They had talked to his older brother in the study, while Mokuba sat outside; desperately worried, fidgeting with his locket.

When they finally left, they had glanced at him appraisingly. He hated how they judged him for good or ill with one glance. As if they were gods.

Although...this time it seemed like they saw him fit. Usually no one looked at him in that way. No one except Yuugi and the gang. No one except Nii-sama who said he was the smartest child his age...

Any flattered thoughts he might have had were crushed when he saw his brother in the doorway, pale-faced with silent fury, taut as a piano string, and his fists clenched at his sides.

"Nii-sama!" he threw his arms around his brother; hugging him tightly. The grip his brother sent back into the hug was almost stifling. It was like the clutch of a drowning man.

"They aren't going to-I won't let them!" blue eyes flared with rage. "I am not going to lose you!"

And then Mokuba began to realize just what those strangely-dressed people wanted.

And instead of being proud for gaining their approval, he dug his fingers and his face into Seto's suit and cried.

When his brother came to his room that evening, his mask was up again. He was subdued and wordless and the blue eyes were as hard as diamonds.

The hand that tucked him into bed and wrapped his half-asleep arm around a dragon plushie, though, was surprisingly tender.

If Mokuba hadn't known any better he would have thought that there was a strange amount of water in his brother's eyes.

But Kaibas did not cry.

* * *

><p>Seto Kaiba left strict orders with his company. He would be gone for the day. It didn't matter where. It was a matter of uttermost urgency.<p>

Mokuba let the maid brush dust off his coat. It didn't matter if she got it wrong, although Nii-sama might fire her, he would just take the coat off in the jet anyway, when they touched down in London. It was still summer there.

He would convince Nii-sama not to fire her Mokuba decided. She had pretty eyes.

Yuugi had been on the phone. He was in England and offered to come to the mansion. Nii-sama had declined. He did not want the strange Mr. Dumbledore to be in his home.

Assassins only needed a glance around the hall. Anyone with a sharp eye could sell information. The fewer strange people that entered, the better.

So now, Mokuba was inside a plain black jet - Seto wished to be a little inconspicuous this time - and watched his brother's hands move over the controls.

Ten years. If this didn't pull through it would be ten years.

_"I love you Mokie. I promise no matter what happens, I'll always be there for you."_

He had said that the day their father had died in that crash.

Funny, no one had spoken much about that accident. Even the relatives avoided speaking about it. Those relatives must feel pretty stupid now! Abandoning them simply because they couldn't be bothered.

They didn't receive anything from Seto when he took over KaibaCorp. Although they had tried.

Older brother had been in the car when the accident happened. His eyes had gone softer when Ryou had mentioned that he also had lost his mother and sister in the same way. And yet he had survived.

Ryou had thought it was his father who lay down the base for his rent over the last few years.

So many memories. So many questions yet to be asked. Mokuba was only eleven years old, but he was not stupid.

He knew what was going on.

And he knew that Seto was not fine, despite how much he pretended to be.

_"...I'll always be there for you...no matter what happens..."_

Mokuba looked at the golden Millennium Rod curiously. Seto had begun taking it with him everywhere, usually tucked out of sight, simply to prove to Yuugi that nothing had changed despite its appearence. It was to keep it safe, as well.

Nothing was safer than what was left upon Kaiba's person. Magick proved that rules of physics could be broken and impossible safes could be opened with mere words.

But Seto Kaiba had something up his sleeve. Mokuba knew his brother, as well as he knew himself. Perhaps better.

He knew that Seto had a plan. And though he only saw one fragment, he had a good idea of which direction it trundled off to. It would be dangerous, thrilling, and entirely bad for his brother's - and the world at large's - health.

The usual.

He saw the controls being skillfully maneuvered for landing. The speed was slowing already. They had shot through the skies like a bullet. Nii-sama liked driving all vehicles quickly.

But he was not exactly impatient. Seto Kaiba knew when to bide his time.

And then turn the tables.

&Yuugi&

Yuugi waited anxiously. He was sitting beside a grinning Marik who was talking to a weak, but happy Ryou. Marik's mood had swung to happy and easy-going, due to Ryou's well being. The worries that had gathered had faded to the edges of his mind, and for the first time since he had been in England, he was enjoying himself.

Right now he was mimicking accents of famous actors and Ryou was guessing which voices were whose.

It was good to see them laughing again. Ra knows how rare that had become.

Ryou was still quiet and ill, and thinking about his father. He had been ever since he realized they could not do anything until they pin-pointed where the tablet had been taken. He had not brought the subject up since then.

Yami had spoken to them about it. As the King of Games (Yuugi) saw it, Yami was a genius while Yuugi was merely his muse.

The strange thing was just how much Yami, or Atem - as he now made the Duel Monsters call him - had perked up when he heard Seto Kaiba wished to meet them, or rather, Dumbledore.

Yuugi's dark had not explained why, but the bond they held conveyed that Yami really, really wanted to talk to Kaiba. Yuugi had not seen his other half this excited about something in a long time.

Why?

He glanced around the abandoned house they were sitting in. Dumbledore had transfigured (yes, that was the word the silver-bearded wizard had used) some chairs for them and had lit a roaring fire in the grate.

Yuugi had sent his rival their location via phone. He just hoped that Kaiba wasn't coming to duel him. He was tired and rather afraid that Yami would be all-too-willing to send Kaiba to the shadow realm again.

If Kaiba had been pretty and female, Yuugi decided absentmindedly, Yami would definitely have the hots for his rival.

Something like a violent hiccough jerked their bond, and the small boy with tri-coloured hair realized that Yami had heard his last thought. Luckily, he was spared explaining as at that moment the door was thrown open and the enigma that was Seto Kaiba walked in.

Mokuba was beside him, looked wide-eyed and distressed. He was hardly noticeable in the shadow of his brother.

Seto Kaiba was wearing black kid gloves and a long black coat of expensive material, obviously tailor-made. Gold buttons ran in long rows down the front, making it appear uniform and dignified. It was impeccable. Without one single wrinkle or flaw. It held the likeness of a general's outfit. Under the curtain of chestnut hair, blue eyes, cold and bright as ice in moonlight, locked onto Yuugi Motou.

Keeping a neutral expression was what Yuugi did best, but Kaiba was awe-inspiring. Yami appeared to think so too, but his thoughts quickly returned to pissed-off-Pharaoh mode when he remembered what Yuugi had just thought earlier.

"Motou."

"Kaiba."

And then his rival's unreadable eyes turned to Dumbledore.

Marik and Ryou shifted in their seats to watch. Two cunning, powerful persons took in each other with one glance. This could be as interesting as a Duel.

Kaiba steepled his fingers and smiled frostily. "We. Need. To. Talk."

&Minerva McGonagall&

The Head of Gryffindor's house was straightening her already-impeccable robes and hat. Her stern features and thin mouth were tighter than usual.

What did the Headmaster mean by calling at this time? Nothing had been arranged about anything. She had know something was odd when he had left with the foreigners suddenly day before yesterday. They had returned sometime in the early morning yesterday, and Dumbledore had been unusually withdrawn.

She had seen him like that before. It was when he had met someone of unusual insight or intellect. And they had somehow managed to unnerve him nearly as much as he had unnerved them.

Walking briskly down Diagon Alley, she saw - to her astonishment - that Severus Snape was already waiting there. He merely lifted a sardonic eyebrow in her direction; betraying nothing.

Slytherins. Humph.

Finally he said, snarkily: "He's here."

Dumbledore appeared at the edge of her vision, and drew closer. "Our young acquaintance prefers us to meet him somewhere more private." He held out what appeared to be a broken child's toy. A Portkey. "Ten seconds."

She grasped it quickly, with Severus carefully touching the other side.

Who was Dumbledore taking them to see, and why was he gazing at them in that shrewd manner? McGonagall just hoped it wasn't anything to do with the Defense Against the Dark Arts.

She knew how that usually ended.

The familiar jerk at the navel did not throw her off-balance or wrinkle her robes. Minerva McGonagall saw the haze clear and looked sharply around.

They were in a study. Books lined one wall, while strange bleeping shiny items with moving picture screens lined the others.

There was a picture of Chinese Dragon over the wall.

Across the room there was a desk, and McGonagall noticed suddenly that there was movement behind it. She had not seen anything at first due to the flashing screens surrounding it, but there was clearly something or rather someone there.

"I see you've arrived. Take a seat."

An elegant hand reached over one of the screens and waved them to a row of luxury chaise lounges of deep plum.

Minerva sat with all the disapproval she could muster. The seats were plush beneath her, and obviously expensive. The windows were shuttered still, perhaps to allow more light from the screens.

She was not some mere pawn in a game. She did not like being brushed aside. McGonagall tried very hard to not be comfortable in the melting chaise lounge.

Snape held a similar sourness in his face, but it was very slight beneath the alertness that mapped his features. He drank in all the details of the room for a later date.

"Now then," the figure moved into the open. He was young, Minerva realized at once, very young. Not more then twenty-five at most. His voice had given no indication of his age as it was rich and freezing simultaneously.

And tall, although he'd probably be just as imposing even if he was shorter. It was in his very skin. He appeared to be a very, very important heir with his immaculate grooming and obvious class. Cold sapphire eyes passed over the Gryffindor and Slytherin Heads of Houses before turning back to Dumbledore.

"These are your witnesses?"

"Indeed. It's nice to see you already have gotten yourself a place to stay," said the Headmaster jovially. His twinkling eyes had passed over the area already, cluing Minvera into the fact that a silent match was going on between the men.

"I will bring Mokuba here over the weekends." The statement left no room for argument.

"What of homework?" The unspoken question: will he want to come back? Mightn't he want to remain at Hogwarts over the weekend?

"Mokuba's extremely bright. He'll hardly have to give it a glance." No. He won't.

"Excuse me, Headmaster," said McGonagall, realizing the direction that this was turning and not liking it one bit, "Are you suggesting-"

"Ah!" said Dumbledore, light eyes merrily twinkling over half-moon spectacles and crooked nose. "I have not introduced you. Mr Kaiba, these are my colleagues, Minerva McGonagall, Professor of Transfiguration, and Severus Snape, Potions Master," the cold boy nodded at them frostily. "This is Mr Kaiba from Japan."

"Japan?" McGonagall spoke, but Snape saw the connection faster. "I believe you mentioned a Kaiba when you came back from your tour in Egypt." Snape's gaze had shifted from aloof to hawk-like in three seconds.

"Indeed I did. Friend of a friend."

"I have no friends," said Kaiba icily. "You speak of my rival, Yuugi Motou. I hear he was visiting that country recently."

Minerva noticed that in his careless tone, he had implied that he had not been there himself. But she knew he had. Remus had said so, and Albus had confirmed.

Severus, Albus, now this boy...these were dangerous minds.

"Small talk aside, I would appreciate if we could go straight to business."

"Of course, of course." the Headmaster retrieved some parchment that had been inked with a very formal hand. "Sign here, in the presence of these witnesses."

The young man looked at the quill Dumbledore offered with a measure of distaste. He took it with two fingers, holding it at arms length as if it were about to explode. Then he gracefully wrapped his hand around it and brought it to the paper.

His eyes flashed briefly over the words. "All is in order."

He signed 'Seto Kaiba' at the bottom.

Startlingly blue eyes caught McGonagall's as he offered her the quill. "Sign there, if you will."

She looked from him to Dumbledore (who nodded amiably). With a flourish, she signed, feeling oddly as if she had just written out her death warrant.

Snape placed his signature beneath hers in his usual spiky black manner. Kaiba watched these proceedings with narrowed eyes.

"Congratulations, Mr. Kaiba. Your brother is now a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

&Marik&

Yuugi had been very quiet. His eyes were not glazed over, but he was clearly listening to his other side. Or rather, trying to ignore his other side.

"What's up with the Pharaoh this time?" asked the Egyptian tomb keeper lazily.

Yuugi started. "Marik, I didn't see you there! Oh. Yami's just a bit annoyed with something I thought earlier."

The star-haired boy then covered his ears as if someone was yelling at him.

"That bad?"

"Yeah."

"What was it?"

Yuugi opened his mouth, but then flinched and covered his ears again. "He doesn't want me to tell."

Marik's eyebrows shot into his mess of blonde hair. Hmm. Perhaps it was something with blackmail potential. Should be interesting to look into later.

"You didn't see that coming either, did you?"

"Mokuba being a wizard?" he shrugged. "Why not? He has abilities, and is born into the same family as a reincarnated Priest who was one of the top Sorcerers of his time. It isn't extremely surprising."

"Well, when you put it that way. The only reason we didn't notice was probably because there was so much other magick shit going on."

There was a uncomfortable silence, in which Yuugi seemed to be inwardly wrestling with something. Finally he blurted out: "I can't believe they actually were stupid enough to think they could take Mokuba away from his brother for good! Ten years of scholarship in the Imperial Samurai Court does sound amazing, but honestly. No outside, nonmagickal contact during that period? Ten years away from his only breathing relative. Are they insane?"

"They didn't exactly let him say no either," said Marik thoughtfully, "Binky-boy was actually quite quick on the uptake with that one. Switching schools and lying to their faces. 'Mokuba has already been offered a place somewhere abroad by one Albus Dumbledore.' He knew that coot was someone important."

"The Priest's intellect has always surpassed average," said the stiff voice of the Pharaoh. He did not become fully visible. Yuugi seemed to be trying not to giggle at something, but Marik had no clue as to what.

The door opened, startling the Pharaoh into disappearing fully. "Oh sorry," said Ron. "I didn't realize you lot were back." He noticed their glares and saw a sleeping form in the corner stirring. "Sorry!" he whispered loudly, making a quick exit.

"It's alright," Ryou mumbled, not realizing the redhead was already gone, "I'm already awake."

Yuugi and Marik turned to Ryou. "You know," said Yuugi thoughtfully. "He kind of reminds me of Jounouchi."

"And?" Ryou rubbed his left eye sleepily.

A sly smile crossed Yuugi's face, making him look unlike his innocent self. "Kaiba's coming to visit just before they leave."

A wide smile broke across Marik's face. This sort of grin had only appeared a few times on this planet. It had appeared on Hitler's face once, and Ivan the Terrible had donned it. Serial killers had attempted to imitate it, and fell short.

It was the very likeness of chaos.

#Days/Weeks Later#  
>&amp;Harry&amp;<p>

Ever since he had been cleared of all charges at the Ministry, Harry had noticed that Sirius had become extra gloomy. Hermione had spoken her thoughts on the matter, and after initially disagreeing with her, Harry had the tiniest prickling feeling that she was right.

This was pushed out of his mind, however when something happened on the very last day of the holidays.

Ron got a prefect badge. Not Harry, Ron.

Harry honestly hadn't thought of it before, but now he was all-too-aware that two fifth years of each house became prefects. And Dumbledore had taken Ron over him.

He had tried to appear happy for his best mate; after all, it wasn't Ron's fault that Harry did not receive a badge. He had been just as surprised as Harry, if not more so. Deciding firmly that Ron deserved to be happy, he had made an attempt to be excited for him.

Apparently, this resolution wasn't good enough.

Harry sat alone in the old library, glancing listlessly at some fallen books. Hermione would be outraged when she saw them. Kreacher enjoyed knocking some down occasionally just for that reason.

He ought to be happy...he really ought to be...Mrs. Weasley was going to make a cake and celebrate soon. He had to be happy by then. He had to!

The creak of door-hinges made him sit up straight. Not Hermione or Ron, he thought desperately. Please don't be Hermione or Ron. Especially not Ron.

A head of white hair peered round a bookshelf and large doe-like eyes widened at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to find A History of Foreign Witchcraft. Marik said it would be in here. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Harry wanted to say: "Yes, you are disturbing me, go away!" But what came out of his mouth was: "No, go ahead."

He stared at the boy. This must be Ryou. His appearance was very different than Harry had imagined, and he had not seen the boy since his arrival and Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Ryou was, as Ginny had put it, pretty.

Boys were not supposed to be pretty. Harry had supposed that Marik could double for a girl if he didn't scowl so much or crack his knuckles threateningly upon occasion. Ryou didn't scowl. Ryou had a sweet voice and large eyes and long lashes. His white hair fell down his back.

It was severely unnerving. No wonder Ron had said that he was 'weird'.

Half-turning to the shelf after Harry had given his permission, Ryou froze and turned back with worried eyes and white teeth biting his lip.

"Are you alright?"

Harry didn't know why he did it. Maybe it was because Ryou had been having nightmares too, maybe it was because of the way he had sat down next to Harry and took his hand, gazing at him with concern that was as sincere as it was untainted.

Maybe it was because Ryou's hand was warm and his eyes understanding.

Harry told him everything.

He told him about Cedric's death, the Dementor attack, how he had received no letters over the summer, how he was nearly expelled, his insecurities and confusion over why Dumbledore was not speaking to him, and finally, the Prefect Badge.

Maybe Harry just snapped. Maybe this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

It was somehow easier to blurt out all your troubles to a kindly stranger than to a loyal friend. Harry did not know why, but there you have it.

Through it all, Ryou had not let go of Harry's hand. He added more pressure to his grip, squeezing it comforting.

Harry's very green eyes, that had moved to the floor as he spoke, turned back to Ryou.

"When I was nine years old," said the white-haired boy softly. "My younger sister and I used to play together. Mother drove us to the park, and although I was sure I was getting too old for it, we would have picnics and play on the swings like we were three years old again."

He paused, eyes growing distant.

"We had a decent car. At that age, I hardly knew anything about cars, but Amane always pointed out that it was the reddest car anyone had ever seen. She didn't care that two of the seat-belts were broken and it was starting to get lumpy on one side. She liked the colour..."

His hand tightened further on Harry's.

"We were going to the park that day. Mother wasn't happy, because we were late. Amane was feeling achy; growing pains, I guess. I took the lumpy side of the vehicle. We had forgotten to tell Mother that the seat belts had broken. Amane had never liked them anyways. I had the only one in the back."

A very light, almost inaudible sigh flew out of his mouth. Not a sigh...a little choke.

"Some drunk ran a red light and crashed into our car. Mum was killed on impact, I found out later. There were lots of lights and yelling and I felt very, very hurt and dizzy. There was something heavy on me. It was stifling. I couldn't move at all. It-it took me a moment to realize that it was Amane..."

This time it was Harry's hand that tightened. His face that grew tight with concern, anger for everything that had hurt Ryou. Everything that now made his eyes watery and his voice catch.

"She died an hour after. I nearly did too, e-even I had no extreme injuries. I...I couldn't breathe. The ones, the men that dug me out of the car said that I nearly drowned in the pool of Amane's...my own sister's blood..."

Harry threw his arms around Ryou and Ryou hugged him tightly back. Harry forgot that Ryou looked odd and girly, and had a strange, English accent with a lilt. He pressed Ryou's face into his shoulder so Ryou couldn't see the wetness in his own eyes.

"You see, I understand, Harry. I understand!"

An eternity passed with silent communion between the two. A bond of friendship was forged right then and there, and Harry also forgot that he was meant to dislike Ryou. He was suddenly quite fond of Ginny for bringing the teen his dinner that night Marik had threatened them.

When they pulled away lightly, Harry realized that Mrs. Weasley had probably finished the cake by now and Ron and Hermione could be waiting downstairs. He no longer felt his burden too heavy, or the prefect badge mattered in the slightest. He suddenly felt very happy for Ron.

"Don't worry about feeling overwhelmed with troubles, Harry. We all need someone to talk to sometimes. Heroes even more than anyone else."

And Ryou pulled A History of Foreign Witchcraft from off the shelf and tucked it into a shoulder bag.

"Come. Mrs. Weasley said that there would be cake in the kitchen by seven," he looked at his watch and started, "and now it's already a quarter past! Come on, let's go!"

And he flashed a dazzling smile at Harry, that the Boy-Who-Lived automatically returned. "Friends?" Harry asked suddenly, impulsively, holding out his hand.

Ryou blinked, before his face grew brighter then the sun's, "Friends!" he clasped Harry's hand with a surprisingly firm grip.

"Now let's see about that cake!"

&Ron&

"I don't know where Ryou is!" said Ron, shaking slightly.

Marik's brows were drawn. "Are you sure," His arms were on either side of the table in front of the youngest Weasley boy, and he now leaned over until they were nose to nose.

Before Mrs Weasley, or the rest of the group gathered for that matter, could tell Marik to back off, two persons tumbled through the door and were assaulted by all the eyes in the room.

Ryou's saw Marik and Ron before any of the others. "Oooh," he said saucily. "Something private going on here. Well, Marik, don't stop on our account."

Harry giggled - in a very manly fashion!

Ron nearly choked on his own larynx. Fred and George, however did not have the restraining 'nearly'.

"BwahahahHAHAHAHAhhaha!"

Marik, surprisingly, split his face into a wide grin. "Oh, you know me Ryou. I'd never pass over a redhead!"

He sauntered over to the half-Japanese, half-British boy without more then a glance at Harry - who everyone was looking at with slight surpise.

This time, Ron really did choke on his larynx and Fred and George, with Ginny and Sirius and Tonks, fell into hysterics. Remus appeared to be hiding a smile behind a glass of wine, while the others looked stunned into silence.

Mudungus snorted quietly in the corner.

"Are you..." asked Ron, when he had recovered a little use of his vocal chords. "You're not...not...g-gay?"

"Why?" asked Marik, fluttering his eyelashes suggestively, "are you interested?"

Yep. Ron definitely just swallowed his vocal chords. They had ended up somewhere in his stomach.

Ryou leaned onto Marik's arm in a far-too-familiar fashion. He brushed his head against Marik's shoulder.

This time, the hysteria had transcended into coughs and chokes and Mrs Weasley was looking astonished, but ready to throw in some sort of dangerous comment, when Yuugi stumbled in.

"Well I've finished in the bathroom," he blinked at his friends. "You're not pretending to be a homosexual couple to freak out the natives again, are you? Because you told Ishizu that was just a teenage annoy-the-random-passerby phase."

Then he blinked again.

"Oh, and I just wanted to add: Kaiba's here."

That was when the foreign boys slipped out of the half-embrace and Ryou appeared in front of Yuugi with his head tilted curiously, and Marik's face fell into a half-despair, half-annoyed scowl.

"Binky-boy? The evening was just getting fun!"

Ryou giggled/snickered lightly behind his hand.

Ron felt Harry drop down into the seat next to him. His face was bright - unusually happy and carefree. He smiled at Ron, and Ron knew now - with a great deal of relief - that Harry was truly happy for him and could face down a hundred dementors this very moment if he had to.

"So you met Ryou? Where were you two? Marik came down a moment ago, he was very cross."

"Library," said Harry, oddly quiet. "We were comparing notes."

"Schoolwork?" asked Ron astonished. "At this time? Harry, I swear you're becoming another Hermione!"

&Remus&

When the Headmaster had mentioned the Kaiba boys were coming over for the last day, he had given a mild look from Dumbledore that clearly stated: yes-this-is-the-one-that-called-us-mentally-unstable-but-don't-bring-that-up.

Or it could have been a please-pass-the-marmite look. You never could tell with Dumbledore.

So when the pint-sized Yuugi Motou mentioned 'Kaiba's here', Remus felt a strange discomfort in the pit of his stomach and the darker side of him - the wolfish side - wondered humourously how the other members of the household would receive the frigid young man.

He didn't have long to wait. Mrs. Weasley had remembered that the brothers were coming over, but she had never met them in person. Indeed, she would have probably would have had a nervous break-down at the thought of them arriving here if she had.

He was not sure if that was a good or bad thing, because it was possible that she might have one soon.

The ice-cold voice in the hall made all the members of the house sit straight up in their seats. They may have not been aware as to what triggered this, but Remus knew.

He had studied people for years; primarily his schoolmates as a child. He knew humans better than they knew themselves. He had to, to be one more thoroughly than anyone else.

When Seto Kaiba entered the room, all eyes fastened upon him. He was tall, imposing with regal, snobbish bearing and startlingly blue eyes that could freeze FiendFyre.

The shadow of his hair in his eyes only made him appear more foreboding, something that his personality did nothing to dispel.

"Nii-sama! Wait for me!" A ball of long-haired energy appeared beside what (or rather who) Remus had coined the Slytherin Symbol to Adhere to. "Oh, hi Yuugi-kun! Ryou-kun, Marik-kun!"

Large, guileless grey eyes scanned the room and its population. "You must be Mrs. Weasley. Dumbledore said you got my books for me. Isn't that nice of her, Seto?" he turned to the icicle that was the elder Kaiba.

Blue eyes froze Mrs. Weasley in place. "Hn."

He strode past her.

"I hope you didn't add anything to that list Mokuba. I sent money into their vaults for what I placed down. You wouldn't want to rob anyone of their hard-earned finances."

"Umm...I may have added a broom and a magical flying monkey to the equation..."

Kaiba turned back to Mrs. Weasley with one sharp, arc-perfect motion. "You shall receive compensation. I apologize for my younger brother. He tends to over indulge..."

The flat look he shot Mokuba clearly said: 'A flying _monkey_? _Really_?'

Mokuba gave a shaky grin that grew when Mrs Weasley looked at him with 'Motherly-Mode'.

"No problem," she smiled at the adorable ball of energy that was Mokuba Kaiba. "Let children be children."

Fred shared a horrified glance with George. "And why doesn't she ever say anything like that to us?"

"Because you're seventeen now and he's got to be like, eleven?" "Because you're part of the family?" "Because you hardly need any encouragement!"

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all spoke at once, and then flushed and looked at each other.

Harry grinned. Remus noticed he had been a great deal more happy since he had come downstairs with Ryou. Something about the way they had stood together betrayed trust held. Since when did Harry trust someone so quickly?

"So," said Molly kindly. "It must be exciting to finally be off to learn magick!"

"Yeah, said Mokuba, scratching his head with one hand. "Well, it was a bit of a surprise. To learn about magick, I mean."

There was a snort from the corner of the room.

"Don't tell me you're still in denial," said Marik, rolling his eyes. "C'mon Yuugi back me-hey, where's Yuugi?"

"Went upstairs to find some paper. He wants to write to his grandfather again," said Ryou, between bites and without taking his eyes away from his piece of cake. "Understandable."

"And no," he said, looking at Kaiba, "he isn't going to duel you."

Second snort.

Duel? Remus was sure that not only his eyebrows were crinkling the forehead. This young man wanted to duel that tiny little scrap of amethyst eyes and crazy hair that was Yuugi Motou.

He did not have to question what Marik meant by denial, though. He remembered well enough.

*You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Magic doesn't exist. I don't know who hired you, or what kind of nut-jobs you are, but I will not take this sort of spiel again and again.*

Yes. Remus knew that many non-wizards went through a period of denial. Kaiba however, seemed to be much more persistant than any of the others he had met.

"Actually," Marik added, a strange gleam in his eye that was dark and full of unpleasant laughter, "he might later. With stakes. I mean, he did say he would duel you into submission."

"Sounds kinky!" said Ryou, causing half the people in the room to snort into their cake again.

Remus saw Moody take Harry aside out of the corner of his eye. He turned back to the room and saw Hermione was watching Kaiba with her brow furrowed, as if he was some particularly hard Arithmancy equation to figure out.

"Electricity doesn't work in magical atmospheres," said Hermione suddenly, as Kaiba pulled out his gleaming laptop.

He shot her one look which shut her up abruptly and made her turn bright red.

Well that was interesting, Remus mused thoughtfully.

Kaiba's screen turned on. Mokuba hid a smile.

Arthur Weasley appeared with that spark in his eye that meant trouble for him from Mrs Weasley later. "And what might this be? Muggle technology?" he beamed at his own knowledge.

Kaiba didn't look up. "Don't tell me you've never seen a KC laptop make before."

"They don't use those in the magick world, Binky-boy," said Marik lazily, taking up two seats.

Kaiba's eyebrow twitched. "KC?"

"Laptops."

"Cavemen," he muttered, moving his fingers with lightning speed over the keys. "I've ordered a withdrawal from the bank for your pocket-money, Mokuba. Spend it wisely."

"Not on..."

"Flying monkey toys, any more pets, pokemon cards that you'll never use anyway, plushie giraffes, or any gifts for me."

"Please?"

"Not. Happening."

Mokuba pouted. "You know me too well."

"I've paid some attention over the last ten years." his fingers stopped clicking, and people stopped staring at said fingers and keyboard.

"Mate, how do you do that!"

"What? Type?" asked Mokuba, confused.

Whatever George was about to reply would never be discovered. As he opened his mouth, a blood-curling scream that made Remus' blood turn to ice echoed through the house.

Moody threw open the door to the next room. "Upstairs!" he said urgently, face grim. "We have a boggart on our hands."

Sooooo...whaddya think? Bad, horrible, worse than horrible?

REVIEW ANYWAY!

Suggestions for boggarts? I'm always listening!

Ryou: NO BOGGARTS!

Bakura: GIVE THE PHARAOH TEN! AND LET HIM PISS HIS SICKENING GLOSSY LEATHER PANTS!

Yami Marik: I never knew you were so aware of the Pharaoh's pelvic regions, Bakura.

Marik: Yes, yes! KILL EACH OTHER! DON"T STOP ON OUR ACCOUNT!

Yuugi: O_O ...so, boggarts? If it's me or Yami, how will that work, because we are in the same body...

Yami: Perhaps it is only the one in control who is targeted, Aibou.

Marik: SOCK HIM IN THE FACE! NOT THE CHEST YOU IDIOT, BREAK HIS NOSE!

I may get sulky and depressed if I think nobody likes this story, and that will mean I stop. If you don't want that to happen REVIEW!

Next time: Boggarts, flashbacks, and Hogwarts Express!


	13. Chapter 13

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

OOOoooh! So many reviews! THANK YOU MY FANS, I KNOW I AM GOD...wait...what?

Bakura: And they say I'M insane.

Ryou: All authors are slightly insane. The more insane they are, the better their writing. Some just hide their mental disorders while others glorify them.

Yami Marik: Does this mean I'M AN AUTHOR?

Everyone else: *Sweatdrop*

Okay-dokey. Well TX everyone for the ideas for boggarts. I took some of them and twisted a little, and here's what came out. (see I didn't want them to come out too OCC ridiculous, and yet I wanted a little originality. *clucks tongue* well tell me if it came out all right.)

I've updated so quickly! That's got to count for something right *big eyes*.

Yuugi: who stole my chibi eyes?

Ahem, anyway; on with the chapter!

THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, FEEL THANKED.

* * *

><p>&amp;Harry&amp;<p>

There was a scuffle as everyone surged upstairs, drawn by the horrible scream. The foreign students were there first, after Marik's eyes had widened and the single word "Yuugi!" escaped his lips.

Ryou and Marik were fast. A blur of mingled white hair and bambi eyes, and bronzed skin and gold jewelery.

Harry was right behind them, but he was a seeker and had spent all his life running away from things. He was easily faster than Ron or Hermione, despite the fact Ron had longer legs. These two would make him lose his position.

There was a second shriek, but this one did not stop. The frequency was so high and piercing that it was all Harry could do to not simply collapse on the floor with his hands clenched over his ears. Several thuds behind told him that the others had not fared as well.

When they finally reached upstairs, Marik threw himself at the door that was between them and the shrieking, causing the rotten wood to split and splinter his arms and his body to stumble ungracefully into the room. He ignored this however, for looking beyond the shambles to see what had scared the small teenager.

Harry saw Yuugi standing in the center of the room stock-straight; frozen with fear. His large eyes were even larger and his teeth were biting his lower lip hard. The perfect image of innocence afraid.

Harry had not known what fears to expect of Yuugi's happy mind, but this was definitely not foreseen. If Harry had made a list of all the most improbable fears of a huggable panda-bear, star-haired, child-like Yuugi's mind, this would not even be placed on it. Because it was TOO EFFING IMPROBABLE.

At least when he had a soul-sucking Dementor, it had only been ONE. There were several...creatures in front of Yuugi. There was crimson eyed boy wrapped in shrouds of dark blue silk cape and there was strange device on his arm. His features were darkened and blurred from where Harry stood. His hair was very much like Yuugi's, same colours and yet something was off. He was taller, different built. In his hand was a green glowing stone with a many-pointed star. He lifted it to his forehead. His other hand held a chain on the end of which was a golden pyramid with an eye on it.

It slipped and shattered on the floor the same moment the stone touched the boy's forehead.

Blood splattered out from between the golden puzzle pieces. A deep, godly voice echoed in the room: "Unrepairable damage to the soul...It cannot be restored...the balance must remain broken this time."

Blood, so much blood! There were torn cards floating on the red liquid. Harry vaguely noted that one of them had a picture of Ryou on it.

The shadow beside the darkened figure laughed. Its glowing eyes were different colours. Green and gold. Many, many faces peered out; each more bizarre than the last. "You never fully defeated us!"

"You failed! Failed! Failed"

A clawed hand reached out of pure darkness to Yuugi, threatening to snatch him, to tear him to pieces. "No more light...SERVE ME!"

But all throughout these happenings, Harry noticed that the boggart remained partially transparent. It seemed unable to fully form. Faces kept switching and half-changing. It seemed ready to snap and switch into another form several times, but then remained as it was. Flickering.

It was almost...undecided.

Harry vaguely heard the others far behind him, as if on the other end of a long tunnel. The most useless part of his mind noted that they were speaking, yelling, entreating...banging on a door that was now somehow fully solid...

Crack!

A snarling Marik had leapt in front of the claw, throwing himself as a shield between Yuugi and the creatures. Then the boggart changed.

Just as the door let out a thud and snapping sound.

The blood, the puzzle fragments, the shadows, the figures, the dark claw - all were gone. There was something else forming out of the boggart, something with a form that shifted like acid peeling paint off a wall or a invisible dragon tearing flesh.

There was someone standing in front of Marik. No, not one. There was a half-circle of dark creatures around the Egyptian boy.

"Impossible!" Marik's lavender enraged eyes widened. "How...the ghouls...?"

"Impossible?" a deep voice repeated from the shadow in front of him. Insane laughter echoed around the room. It was speaking in several voices, another language, and yet English like the owner of the claw had. "Impossible, you say, Omote. My hikari-pretty..."

Harry's heart entered his mouth when the figure stepped forward. It was not just the fact that he highly resembled the Egyptian boy before him. It was not just because his crimson eyes were wide and filled with insanity and darkness. It was not just because the teeth in his grin were dripping red. No.

It was because he was draped in a bleeding, 100% genuine, human skin. And it was fresh.

The knife in his hand was bright with blood and other nasties. Stark and staring eyes were on the face of the body that he wore over his own. The insides, the organs were all gone and everything was torn until it could be laid out flat. The face was stretched over his forehead like a hood...

Marik whimpered something that almost sounded like 'father', but it was too quiet to be sure. He fell to his knees, face filled with sheer horror.

The figure's bloody hand (there was blood trickling everywhere on him, down his face, his arms, his neck, his chest, his legs from the fresh skin he wore) reached out and stroked Marik's face. "Hikari," the voice was soft now, dangerously so. "You should have known better than to betray me!" the caressing hand, quick as lightning, grabbed Marik harshly by the hair.

There were suddenly a crowd of people all shouting, chanting: "Betrayer!"

"MARIK!" Harry didn't like Marik, but that didn't matter. He found himself leaping forward with Ryou and Yuugi and pulling Marik out of the creature's grasp. He had found himself forgetting that it was a boggart he was facing until the sickening crack.

The same moment the door flew off its hinges.

He stumbled backwards, Yuugi and him getting crushed with Marik splayed on top of them; half in their arms. They attempted to push Marik out of the way and leap to their feet the same second Marik tried the same task. The tiny tri-haired boy and the-boy-who-occasionally-regretted-living ended up being tangled (one arm pinned beneath another's leg, etc) and on top of Marik.

The faint light went out like a candle. All Harry could see was Ryou's white hair in front of him. All the words he had ever heard were rushing past his ears like the sound of a celestial ocean. The gathering of terror that had started with innocent-eyed Yuugi had finally found its way into the very core of his being.

There was no Dementor, and yet it was suddenly very cold.

Then, as if a the headlights of a car were slowly drawing nearer, faint light filled the room. The white handled door that made clicking noises - signifying many locks - before it opened in the wall had not existed before. And the floor where Ryou stood had not been pale stone.

Someone entered slowly. "Look Yadonishi," Harry noticed the voice was accented and cold, freezing his very insides, although not nearly as raw and deep as the previous boggart. The dim light was not dim enough to hide the skulking figure in front of Ryou. Taller and with dark eyes that were between crimson and black-brown, the creature's shock of spiky pale hair, more silvery than white, stood out near Ryou's.

He was smiling. His teeth were like many rows of sharp knives. He was holding an armful of blood-splattered dolls.

"Look Yadonishi," he repeated, eyes feverishly bright, "I've fixed your friends...Now you can play with them here forever..."

Ryou's feet did not move from the floor. His body was shaking like a leaf in the wind but he did not move. Yuugi was hiding his face, hands clutching for unknown things. Marik fared no better, but his eyes were open flaming orbs of rage, he was struggling with dead arms under the weight of two people, and his mouth was forming the words to the specter "I'm going to kill you...!"

Ryou's evil doppelganger slid the lock on the door closed. The only light in the room came from the gray glowing ball that was floating above the creature's head.

The dark eyes narrowed and flashed. "Why aren't you happy? STOP CRYING YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRAT!"

It was a good thing that Ryou's use of his limbs suddenly kicked in because something silvery and sharp in the dark one's hand missed Ryou's head by centimeters. The blade dug wood-shavings the size of his fingers out of the walls where it struck. The dolls fell out of his arms and rolled all over the floor, dotting the area with dark red.

One touched Harry and he saw it was a figurine, grotesquely mutilated. He dropped it as if it was poison when a sickening voice in his head told him it was Yuugi.

"RIDDIKULUS!" Lupin's voice suddenly rang through the room. He alone of the ones that had arrived in the doorway managed to see through the heavy darkness that enveloped Harry and the foreigners. Werewolf ability.

Harry had never been so glad of his former teacher's 'handicap'. The darkness disappeared and the room was normal again.

Frightened faces, pale and drawn stared at him from their crowded positioning in the doorway. Hermione and Ron pushed their way through with Sirius.

His breath was coming in gasps and he hadn't even realized it. He coughed, and moved when he felt Marik and Yuugi squirming to untangle themselves from him.

Remus stood standing in the room; staring at the walls that looked like they had been attacked by some kind of beast. He looked the most shaken Harry had even seen him, and he felt himself turning away and to the comforting hands of Hermione, Ron, and Sirius.

Marik ran across the room.

"Ryou," he grabbed the boy's face. "It's all right, he's not here! He's gone, and never coming back. I'll never, ever let anything happen to you again! You are safe, Ryou, safe..."

Ryou clutched Marik suddenly. "Safe," he whispered hoarsely, wild-eyed with terror. "Marik, I'm never safe! We're never safe!"

"Don't you dare think otherwise, Ryou! I'll kill before I let you be hurt again."

Yuugi had leapt up and backed himself against a corner, eyes unseeing and shoulders shaking. His breaths were slowing to a more regular tempo now and Marik and Ryou crawled over and joined him, arms slowly encircling the smallest boy.

Mokuba ran across the room and joined them. "Yuugi," he said, with what was now becoming rare moments of his more childlike innocence. "I don't know what happened. I didn't see. But I'm here and you can hold me as tightly as you wish and for as long as you like."

&Yuugi&

/I thought I lost you that time.../ he sniffled. /I thought it was all over./

He was in his soulroom and Yami had his arms around his tearful Aibou. The former Pharaoh stroked Yuugi's back lightly. /It will all be better, Aibou. I will never leave you./

They sat their in silence for a long moment before Yuugi came out of his soulroom and clung to the younger Kaiba brother. The arms were warm and comforting, and Yami's voice soothed his thoughts.

/Did you notice it too?/

Yuugi nuzzled his face into Mokuba's shoulder. /Hm?/

/Ryou's was in the Shadow Realm. Just before it disappeared, the graveyard was forming./

Yuugi's fingers dug into Mokuba unexpectedly, but the boy held back the yelp he ought to have emitted.

"I'm sorry, I should have run faster," the younger Kaiba was muttering, "but Nii-sama held me back. He said he couldn't let me see it."

Yuugi realized with a faint electric shock through his veins that somehow, as odd and unlikely as it seemed, Kaiba had known what that creature could do.

Of course he wouldn't have let Mokuba near it. Who would let anyone near those things.

He turned his head and saw the teenage CEO leaning against the wall opposite and watching him with an unreadable expression. The long legs were crossed elegantly and a hand slipped into a pocket to retrieve a packet of cigarettes.

The face was expressionless but the hand that rummaged shook slightly. He held the delicately wrapped nicotine between two long fingers, but didn't even move it near his mouth.

The British witches and wizards were watching them apprehensively. "What happened?" Mrs Weasley's voice was shaking far more than Kaiba's hands. Her lips were white and her face pinched and drawn.

"I think," said Remus Lupin quietly, not turning to show a single member of the household his expression, "that is a question to be asked later."

"Do you know what that was?" he asked the huddle on the floor, still not turning.

They shook their heads.

"That was a boggart. They are creatures who love the dark and take the form of whatever you happen to fear the most."

The little colour Marik had regained in his cheeks drained away. His mouth opened into a 'o' shape before silently closing again. Ryou let out a muffled sob into the Egyptian Mage's shoulder.

"The only way to get rid of them is through laughter. That is their greatest fear."

"So...so it wasn't real? It was all in our minds? Really? Are you sure?" Ryou's voice was fast and breathy and his hands twitched against Marik's sides.

Remus finally faced the white-haired boy. He looked nearly as bad as Yuugi felt. "No. It wasn't real."

Ryou threw back his head and laughed hysterically, startling everyone. "Not real! They're not really there, Ryou. It's all in your head!"

His laughter had changed back to wracking sobs before he had finished speaking.

Marik held him tighter. Yuugi watched them and felt so glad...so glad! Marik Ishtar and Ryou Bakura, the ones who had appeared to be his worst enemies, now comforted each other and him as they knew he was also being comforted by his yami.

Mrs. Weasley looked as though she wanted to hug them, but felt unsure of whether she should do so. Eventually she settled for kneeling down beside Yuugi and Ryou and touching each boy on the shoulder.

"Harry," said Ron, unusually quiet, "mate, what happened?"

Hermione and Ron looked worried, very worried. But the Chosen One just looked at his friend, before turning away to stare back at Yuugi and Marik and Ryou.

"No," he croaked. "It wasn't real. But...what...why...?"

Mad-Eyed-Moody spoke gruffly, but there was softness in his eyes. "Perhaps some hot chocolate, Molly. It's late. They should be put to bed."

They were silent when they drank their cups of cocoa. Harry was still shaking slightly, and Marik was glaring at anyone who looked at Ryou the wrong way, but Ryou was calm again and Yuugi had also lost his fears.

It wasn't real. All the same, he had hardly expected a drawer of quills to house his worst fears. How were they supposed to know it wasn't real?

"I'm fine Marik, and there's no need to snap at Harry. He's been very nice to me," Ryou switched languages suddenly. *You shouldn't be worried about me, Marik. You saw your own worst fear as well. You should allow yourself some comfort as well. Don't be so ridiculously selfless.*

There was a dry laugh from a source nearby them. Seto Kaiba was leaning back in his chair in a manner that was still somehow posture-perfect, a cigarette burning between two fingers and the fumes swirling out from between his lips. Everyone seemed to simultaneously realize ''.

^You said you wouldn't smoke them anymore,^ said Mokuba tightly in Japanese. His tone would have made a lump of rock feel guilty. ^You went two months without. I thought you'd stopped for good.^

Kaiba, however, appeared to be not nearly as thin-skinned as a lump of rock. He ignored his younger brother.

*He's not being selfless, Bakura,* Kaiba said coolly, in the same language, causing the witches and wizards to watch their discourse with worry and confusion. *It's actually pure selfishness.* He lifted the cigarette to his lips and took a long drag.

*What are you talking about?* snapped Marik. *Stop pretending to be all wise, Bink-boy and come out with it.*

*Nii-sama...* Mokuba tugged on his older brother's sleeve lightly, sensing the heat of discussion that was about to arise.

*It's quite simply, Bakura.*

*Please don't call me that.*

Kaiba gave him a look. *Very well. What Marik is doing, Ryou, is for your benefit but I'd hardly say entirely so. He's just as afraid, just as pitifully frightened as you are, but he'd much prefer to concentrate on your fears then his own. So while he comforts you, he is remembering yours, envisioning yours, surrounding himself by everything of you so he cannot focus on one single frightening thing of his own.*

The CEO calmly brought the cigarette back to his mouth again. *It isn't strength. It is cowardice.*

Marik didn't yell at Kaiba, which was the first thing that caused Ryou to stare at him. The Egyptian was looking downwards at his cocoa and avoiding any eyes.

*You may be right for once in your miserable life, Kaiba-boy.*

The CEO froze quite suddenly. *Don't call me that.* his voice was crisp, but Yuugi realized that Kaiba was scared as easily as if he had stuttered.

Marik hadn't appeared to notice, though. *What about you and Mokuba then? How is that any different?*

It came out more spiteful than the Egyptian Mage seemed to have intended.

*Because,* said Seto Kaiba coldly, *I spent six months being forced to embrace my worst fears, Mokuba aside.*

Yuugi's blood turned to ice. Surely...surely it hadn't been like that. He had thought it was just trapped with memories...oh god! Memories! For six months? Surely Yami would not...

/It was necessary./ The voice was devoid of emotion, much like Kaiba's often was. /The darkness in him had to be destroyed./

&Remus Lupin&

Mad-Eyed-Moody was brooding in the corner. The Ex-Auror appeared to be very troubled. Of course, who would not be after hearing those shrieks; and the way the boys had been when they found them.

Remus saw again, the blur attacking Ryou with a knife. The little figurines rolling across the floor.

It had been so cold. It had hurt to step into that darkness, to take that plunge.

And the foreign boys had no idea that those images weren't even real...

He covered his face with one hand. Remus knew he would be plagued by this for a long time afterwards.

_"WHY ARE YOU CRYING, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRAT!"_

Everyone had heard that part.

What had happened to those children to make their fears so horrible, so painful? What horrors had they gone through?

"Remus." Moody walked over, his wooden leg creaking. "You saw what happened in the room?"

Sirius, who was sitting in the corner with narrowed eyes suddenly perked up his ears to listen.

The werewolf nodded. "Only the tail-end. I could see through the darkness. A Were trait."

His eyes widened suddenly. "But you have your eye, you must have..."

"Yes," said Moody tersely. "I saw."

He paced. "Something went wrong. My eye always works, but near the end...when that Ryou boy's one happened everything suddenly blacked out. There was nothing there anymore. Not even their body heat."

Sirius Black's jaw dropped. "But that's impossible!"

Moody held up a hand, but Remus spoke in the affirmative. "Sirius is right. That's impossible. They were right there."

A strange expression crossed Moody's face. "I might have overlooked some things in my time, Remus Lupin, but this is not one of those times. When you entered that room, your very obvious werewolf temperature also disappeared."

There was nothing they could say to that. Moody was dead serious and twice as certain. A silence stretched on until Sirius spoke up.

"You said you saw everything. What happened? Harry stood against a hundred Dementors two years ago to save me and he dragged Cedric's dead body away from a risen from the dead Voldemort who nearly killed him. And yet," he added, eyes hard and fists clenched, "I don't think I've ever seen him as shaken as he was when we found him in that room."

Moody did not answer. "You ought to watch those kids," he said conversationally, ignoring Sirius' question entirely. "They would make excellent allies. That Marik boy especially. He threw himself in front of the small one. And even at the end, he tried to get up again to attack Ryou Bakura's boggart."

Remus' eyebrows shot up. "Surely," said Sirius, rolling his eyes a little due to extreme restlessness, "the boggart couldn't have been that horrible if he wasn't scared of it."

"Oh he was," said Moody, smiling suddenly, and the grin was almost feral. "The boy was scared shitless, but he was still going to do it."

He walked towards the coat hangers in the hall, but turned in the entrance way as he swung his coat on. "If it was up to me," he said seriously, "I wouldn't send them off to schools. I would take those kids on as Auror apprentices. They've got guts and quick-wits. I think Marik would throttle a Dementor with his bare hands if it annoyed friend Ryou."

&Mokuba&

The next morning, everyone was in better tempers, but there was still the aftermath from the boggart incident. Mokuba had not seen what had happened, but he knew a great deal of what Yuugi and Ryou and Marik had gone through and he realized it must have been beyond terrifying.

He understood now why his brother had yanked him away from that door, hissing. ^You will not rush in there. Let them do it; they are experts. You don't want to get in the way, do you.^

Seto Kaiba always played that card when he wanted to keep his younger brother from getting mixed in other people's troubles. "You don't want to get in the way", when it was really: "I can't have you hurt."

Mokuba knew if his brother actually spoke his mind, he'd have never become the CEO of KaibaCorp, let alone the youngest up to date.

He thought all this over as he packed his case. Nii-sama did most of it, even though he didn't normally like doing those sorts of things. He mentioned that to Yuugi, but the boy just gave him an odd look and said: "He likes doing it for you, Mokuba. He doesn't know how much longer it will last."

And Yuugi would not explain himself, no matter how hard Mokuba pressed him.

He was talking to Yami again.

Nii-sama had been very strange recently. Mokuba noticed it now more than ever, though Seto had been covering his tracks well. Anyone other than his younger brother may not have noticed, but to him the writing on the wall was white on black.

He would ask Yuugi to keep an eye out for him.

He ran downstairs for breakfast and found the others there already. "Good Morning," he gave them a short bow. "May I sit?"

"Oh, of course," trilled Hermione, quickly scooting the books on the chairs beside her into bags. She flushed a little under his bemusement, before quickly realizing he was only eleven and getting her bearings.

"So," she said, her tone all-too-casual, "your brother will be coming down to eat as well?"

Something gleamed in Mokuba Kaiba's eye. So that's the way it was.

"Probably not. He left this morning, although he'll see me off at the station."

"What about your parents?" asked Ron, shoveling eggs and toast down his gullet. "Won't they see you off?"

All eyes turned to him in the pause that followed.

"They would, if they could climb out of their graves," said Mokuba lightly. "But knowing my brother, they're probably not that flexible."

Ron's fork froze in his mouth.

"I...I'm sorry, mate. Didn't mean to bring that up..."

"It's fine," said Mokuba, buttering a piece of toast and avoiding their sympathetic eyes. "Mother died when she gave birth to me and father was in an accident when I was three, so I don't remember either of them at all."

Harry was staring at him as though he had never seen him before. "You're an orphan too?" he asked quietly.

Mokuba blinked. "Oh yes, that makes five of us now, doesn't it. And I'd count Yuugi too, although his mother is still alive. He never gets to see her anymore anyway and he lives with his grandfather."

He spread marmalade thickly over his toast and took a great bite, closing his eyes and savouring the taste. When he opened them again, everyone was still staring at him.

"What? Was I being insensitive again? Ryou says that I do that sometimes."

"Ryou's parents are dead?"

"And Marik's too?"

Mrs. Weasley looked like she was about to cry. "Who takes care of you?"

"My brother," Mokuba had dealt with several motherly women before and had taken lessons from someone who could run circles around the best psychiatrists in Japan. When Seto Kaiba's your brother, you learn things fast and thoroughly, "has managed to take care of me since that young age. And if you've heard of him, you know how well that turned out."

Hermione perked up again, sitting so high in her seat that it looked like someone was lifting her body with an invisible string. Her face was eager, like something about to pounce.

"Wait...what was your name again?"

Mokuba carefully ignored answering that, and instead turned to his toast again. He added a pile of eggs to his plate and flicked salt over them.

"You'd have to ask Ryou and Marik how they manage it. They don't have Nii-sama looking out for them. Marik has Ishizu and Rishid, though, I suppose, and now Ryou has Marik. And everyone has Yuugi and Nii-sama's the only one who's immune to Yuugi's awesomeness."

He turned to Harry suddenly. "Do you play Duel Monsters?"

Harry scratched his neck nervous. "Ah, well, no. Yuugi tried to teach me, but honestly it's so complicated and well..."

"Oh." Mokuba took a sip of his juice. "Well, I suppose I've grown up with Duel Monsters and Holograms, so I'm used to it. It's all the rage back home."

"Where's that exactly?"

"Oh, around." Kaibas excelled in vagueness above all. When in doubt, be vague. When certain, be vague. When wishing to annoy, be vague.

Commandment 01.

when Hermione realized that he wasn't going to give anything away, she settled for: "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay at Hogwarts. It's a pity that none of the others are coming."

Mokuba leaned back in his chair and practiced the trademark Kaiba smirk. It just made him look adorable, but it was worth a shot. "Who says they aren't?"

/FLASHBACK (the day that Kaiba met up with Dumbledore to get Mokuba into Hogwarts)/

"After all the safest place for Mr. Bakura to be would be at Hogwarts. The Dark Lord cannot enter. There's a magical barrier and the boy can learn wand magic there," Dumbledore clasped his pale, knobby hands together. "It would be wise for all of you, actually."

"Actually," said an icy voice from the corner, Seto Kaiba steepled his fingers and leaned back elegantly. "It would be better not to. If this Dark Lord you say is after Ryou, then certainly take him to Hogwarts for those safety reasons. But he does not even know of our involvement in this crisis. It would be far more intelligent to work undercover where you cannot. I have the needed resources to do so, and am not under target, or even recognized by this 'Voldemort' as of yet. I suggest," he leaned forward to flick some imaginary dust off his knee, "you tell your ostrich-syndrome Ministry ("Ha! Coming from you that's hilarious!" said Marik.) that you have several scholarship Japanese student transfers, including Mokuba Kaiba and Ryou Bakura. You then place Ishtar and perhaps Motou under regular Polyjuice potion under another guise and name to scout out the place and spy, not to mention watch out for the others."

He paused, before adding coolly. "You'll probably want to only place one under Polyjuice Potion, though. The potion is expensive and although I will probably end up paying the bills, like usual, it will be too much trouble to cover for two people. I suppose you could switch them from time to time, but the personality change will be too apparant. And get several other students across the globe to lend to the story. Then, if he starts getting onto us, he can waste his time trying to figure them out."

"And that," said Yuugi, in the following silence, "is why we need Kaiba on our side."

"Shouldn't you be worried for yourself, Mr. Kaiba?" asked the Headmaster lightly, watching him carefully over half-moon spectacles with deceptively guileless blue eyes.

"Hn. We have assassins regularly. A few nut jobs in masks is hardly going to be a problem."

"A few nut jobs who can defy physics," said Marik, poking Kaiba in the arm. "Hey, what's this Polyjuice Potion and how do you know of it?"

The glare the CEO gave the Egyptian could have supplied ice in the Sahara for months. "There are physics to this 'magick', Ishtar. And if you think I'd be so foolish as to step into this ridiculous rigmarole of magick and wizards without thorough investigations..."

"In other words," interrupted Mokuba. "He memorized all the magic law books first thing."

"All we need to decide," said Yuugi bracingly. "Is who goes and who stays."

"I'm going," said Marik immediately. "Someone has to look out for Ryou."

"I want to learn this 'magic'," said Yuugi, "but I don't think I can go to Hogwarts if Marik goes."

"Hire a tutor," said Kaiba dismissively.

"One that definitely won't let anyone know that I can do magick or who will die before revealing my whereabouts or background to any creepy dark lord?" asked Yuugi, tone becoming desperate.

"Actually, Mr. Motou," said Dumbledore. "I have just the person. There will be one little inconvenience though."

"What's that?"

"Ah-ah, you'll see." The mild smile on the Headmaster's face promised for dangerous happenings.

"Kaiba," said Ryou after a short silence. "why are you being so helpful anyway?"

"RYOU! Don't jinx it!" hissed Marik.

"Maybe," said the CEO calmly, "it is merely because I do not despise you nearly as much as I do Ishtar and Motou."

/end FLASHBACK/

"Why doesn't he like Yuugi?" asked Ginny, scandalized. "Or Marik for that matter?"

"It's not so hard to dislike Marik," muttered Ron between bites.

"Because," said a cold voice that passed behind the seated at the table, and snatched Mokuba's fork hand to stop him from absentmindedly spilling half his eggs, "I am not fond of psychotic Egyptians who array themselves in all the elements of a Christmas tree, or boys with hero-complexes who time and time again bring along their little friends to speak about the 'joys of friendship'."

The tall form of Kaiba sat down next to Mokuba, and consequently two seats across from the bushy-haired bookworm.

Hermione squeaked in surprise. Her eyes shot to Mokuba as if to say: 'you said he left!' to which the boy shrugged.

"Hey," said Ron suddenly, bristling. "You aren't making fun of Harry are you? 'Boys with hero complexes'? Because Harry doesn't going looking for trouble, you know!"

Frigid blue eyes fastened themselves on the boy-who-really-wished-he-lived-somewhere-else-right-now. "Ah yes. Just my luck. Now we have two heroic dweebs. You and Mutou should start a club." The sarcasm in his voice made all the other present house-dwellers bristle too.

"And you," he said turning to Ron and his gaze became impossible to hold, "I suppose you're his trusty side-kick?" he took a long, deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Another mutt on my hands."

"He does rather look like a ginger Jou, doesn't he Nii-sama?" asked Mokuba with fake innocence. His brother shot him a glare, and he quieted, but with obvious amusement.

Just then Ryou came downstairs. "Hello all," he said cheerfully. "How are you Kaiba?" he touched the CEO on the shoulder.

"Hn." Woah. Kaiba must be very fond of Ryou.

"Yes Mokuba," said Ryou in a stage whisper. "He really is just like Jounouchi, isn't he. He even has a redhead for a sister."

"But nothing's wrong with her eyes," said Mokuba. "And she doesn't have two idiots fighting over her, does she? Plus, Shizuka Kawai was as innocent as Yuugi. Ginny's a bit more sneaky and sly."

Ginny sat up straight in her chair, recieving this compliment by giving Mokuba a charming smile.

"Although her brother probably is still just as protective of her," added Ryou.

"Give them a round of applause," snarked Kaiba. "It's a good thing I'm not coming with you lot. I'd hate to deal with another flea-ridden mutt."

"Awwwww..." said Mokuba, "but you know you love him..."

Kaiba lifted an eyebrow and spoke silkily. "Your pocket money is in my possession still Mokuba, and you're trying to get on my bad side?"

The small boy gulped and amended: "I mean, you love to terrorize him...yeah, that's it."

"Who's Jounouchi?" asked Hermione curiously, edging closer.

"Um...a friend of Yuugi's back home," said Mokuba uncomfortably, watching his brother's every move.

"Kaiba and Jounouchi hate each other," said Ryou bluntly. "They're totally opposite of each other in every conceivable way. It's like a cat going up against a dog; instinctual dislike. The danger of witty intelligence and ultimate slyness up against the physical brawn."

"Oooh, so Nii-sama's the cat."

Ron suddenly appeared to be very uncomfortable.

#Later#  
>&amp;Ryou&amp;<p>

Marik was coming soon. Only under another name and another body. They all stood on the platform of 9 3/4. Ryou had come with Harry and the Weasley's, Mokuba had come in a bullet-proof, magic-proof vehicle with his OWN FREAKING ARMORED GUARD. Of course, the wizards around had no idea of what modern technology could accomplish, so they had no idea what those shiny weapons Mokuba's 'friends' had could do.

The wizards had seemed slightly disappointed when Ryou simply raised his eyebrows before leaning calmly into the barrier. When you had been around Yuugi and Marik and Seto Kaiba long enough, nothing really surprised you anymore.

1. Penguin man possessing Anzu

2. Invisible platform opening that appears to be a wall.

No 1. wins more bizarre event every time.

Mokuba had bounded off into the train, but Ryou still hadn't spotted Marik's new form. It wasn't until he was buried in a crowd of families and well wishers and the train had actually started its engines, that he leapt on.

The wizards had disappeared into the train somewhere. Ryou looked for them fruitlessly, too polite to actually scan through all the compartments.

"Watch where you're going fil-" Ryou had bumped into someone that was nearly as pale as he was.

"I'm terribly sorry," he began, but the boy with pale aristocratic features merely waved his apology aside, eyeing Ryou's every inch carefully.

"I've never seen you before," he said, looking over the white-haired teen with mild suspicion.

"I'm a transfer student," said Ryou. "Ryou Bakura, Japanese."

The silver-grey eyes widened. "Pureblood or mud-muggleborn?"

Ryou raised his eyebrows politely. "I'm not sure what you mean. Perhaps there is a different term for it in my country."

"Magical ancestors or no?" said the boy, rolling his eyes.

"I wouldn't know exactly from which side. I'm an orphan, you see," hopefully not for long, thought Ryou, "but I know that magick definitely runs in my family."

Or in a tomb robber 3,000 years ago that I am the reincarnation of. That's got to count for something.

The mistrust in the boy's face faded. He held out a hand. "You could join us if you like. There's space in our compartment."

Ryou took the hand and gripped it lightly.

"Oh and the name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

So first I'm going to clarify something a bit just in case nobody got this:

During the boggart episode, Ryou had managed to UNCONSCIOUSLY pull them into the Shadow Realm, and not even just that. THE FUDGING GRAVEYARD!

Yep. And he's not supposed to be able to use Shadow Magick that much despite the fact he has the Millennium Necklace in his pocket. Because he's only half a soul and so his power is not that strong.

Ooooh, and wait until you figure out who's going to teach Yuugi/Yami magic!

Okay anyway ahem NEXT TIME: Sorting, Shaadi, and RAVENCLAWS. (And more)

Bakura: will someone be a ravenclaw? Or are you just being random...wait, NOT THE RIDDLE SPIRIT. HE PISSES ME OFF!

Ryou: everyone pisses you off. I think the author means something to do with Cho Chang. Harry mentioned her and he appears to have a little crush. She's a Ravenclaw I believe.

Marik: AHAHAHAHAHA. The green-eyed monster of jealousy will arise in the form of Harry Potter! Hehehe. I might have to flirt with this girl just to piss him off.

Yami Marik: AHAHAHAHAHAHA. My cackle is better than your's, OMOTE. *smugness*

Yuugi: why is everyone using the term *pissed off*

Yami: I am not entirely sure...

Seto Kaiba *smirking*: It's the effect you have upon us, Pharaoh.

REVIEW MY PRETTIES, REVIEW!


	14. Chapter 14

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

Oho, so recap: Boggarts, Hogwarts Train, Marik-to-be-in-another-physical-form, and Draco Malfoy (anyone notice he says: "The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." and thought "Bond, James Bond."? Just asking!)

Sorry about not updating recently, YOU UNDERSTAND ITS FREAKING CHRISTMAS SEASON AND I HAVE A SH*TLOAD OF CRAZY RELATIVES! not to mention charity services, children to babysit, caroling, gift shopping, and baking.

Any-hoo, you're probably all dying for me to shut up and get on with the story, so I'll do that but not before sulking.

*Sulk*

Bakura: Stupid writer! Act any more idiotic and I'll stab you with one of my choice blades!

Ryou: You might not want to do that, Yami. The writer may make you fall in love with Anzu if you do and then you'll have to live all your life with minature Anzus all speaking about the wonders of friendship.

Yami Marik: ...*gasp, choke* *regains breath* ...Tomb Robber...friendship? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA...

Marik: I was about to burst out laughing but somehow that spoiled it.

Yuugi: Don't be mean to Anzu, O-ye-Author-Of-this-story. I've noticed something's up with Yami and Kaiba, though it probably has nothing to do with each other. Care to clue me in? *flat gaze with cocked eyebrow*

Yami: It's nothing...

Kaiba: None of your business Motou. And no, it has nothing to do with your imaginary friend.

Mokuba: But something really does seem off about Nii-sama...perhaps it's this whole magick-stressing thing.

Grandfather Motou: That Kaiba boy needs to get laid!

Anzu: BAKURA FANCIES ME?

Rest of the entire Fudging world: O_O

&Ryou&

Yuugi was hardly the only bullied child in Domino. Ryou had been beaten up in school many times. He was about as 'accident prone' as a Bengal Tiger, but those two words worked like magic when teacher expected you to tell them why your face was half-swollen or why you were limping.  
>They say the sweet, innocent ones who care too much are the ones who tell the truth. No. They don't. The pissed-off or self-obsessed ones cough up to teachers, management, or police.<p>

The innocent believe that it is somehow their own fault. Somehow the ones who hurt them are not to blame, because why would an intelligent human being wish to hurt another? There must be something wrong with the one they hurt. Therefore they are no victim, but a individual receiving punishment.

They become accomplished liars quickest.

They immediately recognized symptoms of other bully-victims. They recognize potential bullies.

And now, acquainting himself with Draco Malfoy's friends, Ryou fell to these natural instincts. These Slytherins were far more difficult to read then the students he had met so far.

He introduced himself politely and the girl in the compartment levitated his trunk into the holding with a expert wave of her wand.

"Pansy Parkinson." Button-nosed - said nose had a slight upturn, giving her a french appearance - and dark haired, she was neither extremely pretty or ugly. She dressed well, though and had good confidence in herself and her image.

"Theodore Nott." He was tall and slightly lanky, like Ron, only thinner and paler; giving him a stringy appearance. He, unlike the others, looked very slightly at unease around this many people in a small space. Ryou recognized that look. It was one of a natural loner.

"Blaise Zabini." He must have all the ladies at him. Good looks and intelligence in those careful, dark eyes. He watched Ryou like a predator, trying to find a weakness in his armor.

He had no doubt that they knew who he was. They had known it before he had introduced himself. How was hardly a question.

It wasn't because of his fame in Duel Monsters. They were wizard families and it had been made very clear that Slytherin pure-blooded wizard families knew little, if anything, about Muggles. Harry and Hermione hadn't even recognized Yuugi or Kaiba (Hermione seemed to find the latter somehow familiar, but according to her friends there was little she did not know. Ryou found that quite entertaining, and was pretty sure that Seto Kaiba could throttle her in that area) and they were from Muggle backgrounds.

These wizards (and witch) had heard of him from another side. Voldemort's side.

And yet their auras were complex and mostly unmarred by darkness; Theodore Nott's excepted. Ryou saw death in his aura.

Just when Pansy looked like she was about to say something, and Ryou dully wondered how long a silence could go on without being awkward, the door flew open and two girls stood there - flushing heavily when they realized the compartment was already filled.

One of them was on the verge of apologizing when they realized just who was in the compartment. The two girls glared instead and stuck out their chins forcefully.

Blaise coolly lifted an eyebrow at them, Theodore gave them a dark look, Draco sneered, and Pansy spoke at once in a high, squeal-ish sort of voice that was entirely unlike the one she had calmly introduced herself with.

"Draco, darling, I think some dirt just flew into the room. Why don't you call your serving boys from the other compartment to sweep it out?"

The pale boy flicked some imaginary dust off the cuffs of his sleeves. "Crabbe and Goyle are studying for exams. I hardly think low-life trash should occupy their time, or my own."

The girls had flushed an even deeper red, but stood their ground stubbornly. "Who do you think you are? Just because Daddy and Mummy have piles of stolen gold, you think you can just treat us like we're below you."

"Far, far, far below.." muttered Theodore audibly.

"Did you hear something," asked Blaise, musingly. He was calm, so very calm, but Ryou had seen his eyes flare momentarily when the girl said 'piles of stolen gold'. "It is delightful how they find all these new uses for magic, but must they really bewitch trash into speaking?"

"Sentiment approved!" shrieked Pansy. "Don't you think so, Draco? Perhaps you ought to order your house-elf to clean our compartment ahead of time."

Grey eyes snapped up. "I hardly think that's necessary..." he hissed softly, gaze like ice.

The girl standing in the doorway opened her mouth to snap at them, but her friend shook her head slightly and tugged at her wrist. "Bastards," muttered the girl as she exited. "The lot of them!"

Ryou was feeling very thoughtful. He was only on the way to Hogwarts and he had already learned so much about his new classmates. "Pansy Parkinson?" he asked, watching the girl curiously. "I am accustomed to calling everyone but my family by their last names, is this procedure correct in England?"

The black eyes darted from Draco's to his. "We call all the members of the other houses by their last names, as well as everyone in our house outside of our year."

As expected, her voice had gone back to a pleasant, crisp tone, and the no-nonsense, business-y look about her returned.

"You're from Japan!" she added suddenly, somehow retaining her cordial air.

It was funny, that was exactly what Hermione had said.

"Half, but I've hardly been in England before." He tilted his head to the side. "I must admit, I feel uncomfortable sitting between you and Malfoy," he said, hooding his eyes casually, "when you two are waging a cold war."

The two sets of eyes snapped to him so suddenly, it might have taken any ordinary person off guard. But Ryou had lived with MARIK ISHTAR. Ryou had made business deals with SETO KAIBA. Ryou had taken care of a eight-year-old Mokuba on a SUGAR HIGH. Ryou had been possessed by a PSYCHOPATHIC 3000 YEAR OLD TOMB ROBBER WITH DARK MAGIC THAT TURNED PEOPLE INTO DOLLS.

It was unlikely for him to jump at sudden glares any time soon. Besides, they weren't nearly as scary as Kaiba. With one potent glare, the CEO was known for making grown politicians piss their pants, and sending hard-hearted business men screaming for their mothers.

Ryou was very glad Kaiba was on their side. Or as much as Kaiba ever would be on their side anyway.

Blaise Zabini made a scoffing noise in his throat at the two Slytherins' reactions. "You made it fairly obvious, you two." He looked at Ryou appraisingly. "So," his eyes narrowed as he asked over his shoulder, "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin?"

"Hufflepuff," snarked Theodore, without missing a beat.

"Between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw," said Pansy thoughtfully. "He doesn't appear ambitious enough for a Slytherin, or stupid enough to be a Gryffindork."

"Draco?"

The blonde boy with handsome, angular features and definite aristocracy turned an intense silver-grey gaze onto Ryou.

"What she said," he said finally, motioning to Pansy without looking at her.

She smirked. "That's what I thought."

He scowled and looked in the opposite direction.

"If Slytherin is all about cunning and ambition," said Ryou thoughtfully. "It would be logical to head for Slytherin for anyone."

They turned to him, appearing pleasantly surprised, and yet cautious.

"But," said Ryou. "Is it the ones who are already cunning and ambitious that get sorting into Slytherin or only the ones who wish to be? And what percentage of cunning or ambition must they have as opposed to bravery, loyalty, or intellectual hunger?" A little crease appeared on his forehead.

There was a moment of silence and then Pansy said: "I'm keeping him!"

"What?" she rolled her eyes at Draco's ill expression. "I've thought this through. He's as sickeningly cute and cuddly as a Hufflepuff. Probably as swotty as a Ravenclaw. And it would be adorable to watch him glare down his nose at a Gryffindor!"

She turned to Ryou. "You are now officially my pet if you have the unlikely chance of getting sorted into Slytherin. Threaten the hat. That's when he decides to stick us into this house."

When she hugged Ryou, he knew something was up. He whispered discretely in her ear. "Are you trying to get him jealous? Because if so, you really ought to flirt with Zabini."

Her eyes twinkled wickedly as she pulled away. "What a little darling!"

Ryou felt Draco's eyes boring into his back. He knew that Malfoy would not damage him irreparably when they were alone. He was probably ordered to keep an eye on him, or to kidnap him if he had a chance.

He briefly mused over his new facts. Bully vs. Bullied.

Pansy: unreadable as of yet. May be neither abused nor abuser, bully or bullied. Good or evil...nothing was black and white.

Blaise: enigma. Unlike Pansy, Ryou may never figure him out. It was worth a shot all the same. He would have to tread even more carefully.

Theodore: bullied. No doubt about it. He was probably abused at home. Yuugi would immediately offer the hand of friendship if he was here. So would Anzu, but she appeared to have misplaced her hands and would probably use her breasts. On Zabini, not Theodore.

Anzu was sweet and kind, but when she liked someone enough, she really did flirt. And flirting meant groping. Twenty seconds max after meeting.

Moving on...

Draco: possibly bully and bullied.

Ryou had begun to study psychology in his local (was local when he was in Japan) library. He discovered that bullies are usually bullied first. Rape victims often become rapists. These scientifically proven facts are sad but true.

Unlike the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, the Slytherins needed him to help them because no one else would likely give them a chance. Ryou was feeling particularly Yuugi-ish as he thought this through.

He'd fix this once he figured out which house imported creampuffs.

A thoughtful look began to make its appearance on the albino's face, when suddenly something jolted him.

The world around him faded away and something was rushing him at blinding speed into a long tunnel. Finally everything cleared and the mosaics of life flitted into place.

He was in a dark room, or was it a hall or stair? The floor was made of stones and so were the walls.

Draco was standing over a heap of unmoving flesh, holding a knife. Blood dripped off the blade, before it clattered on the floor. The Slytherin was frozen, horrorstruck. He looked up to see a bolt of green light heading straight for him...

And suddenly the image swirled. The Shadow Mage was rushed up, as if pulled from the bottom of the ocean to air in three seconds.

Ryou's fingers clenched in his robes.

So that was how it felt to be dragged into a Millennium Necklace vision?

He ignored the odd feelings inside that told him he was adapting to this Item frighteningly quickly and that the experience was extremely disconcerting.

He instead turned immediately to the thought: Draco is going to kill someone. Draco Malfoy, the boy beside me, is going to murder someone - likely on accident - before he is stuck by that strange magical bolt. The green light that had reflected in the whites of Draco Malfoy's eyes.

There was no question about it. Ryou had to change this future. He would not watch any of these become murderers. They would not be forced into death this way.

Not like he had...

Pansy interrupted his serious musings. "So, you're from Japan? How is the schooling system constructed? Why did you decide to take your scholarship here?"

"I can't give you any details about my schooling. I'm afraid the Ministry in Japan are very strict about secrecy," he gave her an apologetic look. "But I was given the choice of coming to England, not only because of the scholarship, but also because I'm half-British."

Pansy's back became even more straight in her seated position. "Father or Mother?"

"Mother. But I don't know what her last name was. She died some years ago," Ryou held back the pain from entering his face. "I decided to come to Hogwarts because in Japan the schooling continues for ten years, instead of seven. If I graduate here, I will have my scholarship three years early, and I can still get the same jobs."

It was a good thing that he had learned about the Japanese school from Mokuba. He even managed to make it sound reasonable and business-like.

Theodore must have been listening in to their conversation because he threw in a question of his own. "What about your father? Is he still around?"

"No," said Ryou shortly. "I lost him two weeks after Mother and Amane. (A/N lost him yeah right. His father left him to bury himself in archeology. ABANDONMENT!) I was going to be stuck in a Muggle," he doubted these wizards knew anything about the world outside their magick bubble so he made a note to use the word 'Muggle' to keep things clear, "orphanage, but circumstances changed that. I've been living in Egypt for the most part."

"Egypt?" Blaise mimed casual disinterest so well that Ryou felt like giving him a medal and introducing him to Kaiba so the two could go up against each other in this area.

"Mmmhmm," said Ryou. Hook, line, and sinker. Confirmed. These were - as Marik had put it - the children of the followers of 'the french-confused snake-man-of-doom'. (Marik added 'of doom' to everything, though. *Don't be ridiculous, Ishizu, I will never graduate from that high-school of doom!* *Prepare to die before my Item of doom!* *Ryou, may you please pass me that leek-filled naan of doom?*)

He added softly: "With some friends. But I don't think you've heard of them. They're very reclusive and you all seem to be born and bred English." He made it sound like an honest compliment, rather than how it could be seen - as an insult.

The comments that passed for the rest of the trip were both numerous and trivial. All the Slytherins in the Compartment that stayed (Nott left quickly) were carefully polite to Ryou and subtly questioned his past further. It was really quite clever how they tried to wheedle information off him.

It reminded him fondly of Marik and Yami Yuugi and Seto Kaiba all those years back.

When the train finally stopped and they all reached for their baggage, Zabini finally asked something that turned things around quite a bit. "So have you met anyone else other than the highly esteemed branch of Slytherin?"

"Only a couple teachers, the Headmaster of course, and someone - oh yes, Harry Potter."

Everyone froze, it was far more noticeable than it had been earlier. "Harry Potter?" Malfoy's voice was carefully controlled and silky. The symptoms were not hard to recognize. "And what did you think of the chosen one, Bakura?"

"well," he said slowly; delicately. "It wasn't under the best circumstances we met so I really couldn't say. Maybe he really was under a lot of pressure and that's why he came across as he did."

Pansy snorted. Her bobbed hair swung as she spoke. "Ryou, you are far too nice and polite. Harry Potter's a pompous, Holier-than-Thou ass and has been since day one."

"I wouldn't know," said Ryou thoughtfully, understanding her point of view (because Marik shared it) but not agreeing. "I only just met him."

"Did you meet Professor Snape?" asked Zabini, slanted dark eyes glittering. "What did you think of him?"

Ryou nodded, rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand. "I thought he was very talented. Intelligent too, why?"

Apparently he had passed some sort of test, because Draco and Zabini gave him a considering looked before nodding together.

"If you end up in Slytherin, by some bizarre chance - seeing as you appear to be much more of a Hufflepuff - we'll make sure you're welcomed." And they headed out.

Wait. Hadn't Harry mentioned a Draco Malfoy sometime along the way? Ryou couldn't remember what he had said.

Oh well. Always nice to make new friends.

And he followed them, levitating his trunk with energy from the Millennium Necklace and wondering when he was going to dig that useless twig that doubled as a wand out of his trunk.

&Mokuba&

"Why are we going in the boats?" asked Mokuba Kaiba suspiciously. "Why can't we travel in the carriages with those wicked cool skeleton horses?"

He had taken the half-giant aside, and after initially thinking 'half-giant? AWESOME!' had began to deal with the matter at hand. Boats. Whenever he went near a boat. Something went wrong. Perhaps Noa had something to do with his paranoia-LEVEL HEADED THINKING! KAIBA'S DON'T HAVE PARANOIA!- perhaps not. Bad things happened all the same. He was fated to be at war with boats, and boats with him.

Hagrid stared at him. "Yeh can see them?"

Mokuba blinked and started wondering if everyone in England was slow. Fun! At least they didn't snap like Nii-sama. "Of course I can see them they have freaking amazing bat-like wings with tendons and bones protruding everywhere and foamy, rabid mouths. It's like someone drew out Death's steed and then Hologramed and cloned it!"

Hagrid had never seemed to have quite heard someone describe them like that before. His expression was priceless and it took a minute or two for him to reply. "Thestrals ken only be seen be those 'oo have seen...er...some'un die."

Suddenly Mokuba didn't like the batwings quite so much. "I see." His voice did not crack, thank Ma'at!

"Was it some'un yeh knew?" the Keeper of the Keys asked kindly.

"Yes," said Mokuba quietly. "It was someone I knew very well."

He climbed inside one of the waiting boats.

He was not entirely awestruck when he espied the castle. He had seen a more spectacular one that his brother had designed in a game world. Hermione had mentioned several times that Hogwarts was breathtaking, but she was not a Kaiba. Kaibas did not use extreme emotions for anything other then Duel Monsters and advanced technology.

Everything was fine until the giant squid - Seto was going to kill whoever put that creature here - decided to hug Mokuba's boat.

With all of his freaking long tentacles.

"Every child for himself!" cried Mokuba, kicking off expensive shoes and leaping into the lake, narrowly avoiding the splintering wood. Someone was splashing frantically behind him and shrieking 'I can't swim!'

Cursing his conscience, Mokuba did a 180 degrees turn, and grabbed the girl's arm. The squid whapped a large piece of wood beside them, splintering it cleanly in half, and sending them a giant wave that nearly dragged them under. The wet pellets of flying wood missed them by inches.

"There, there," he said soothingly to the first-year, using the voice that seemed to work for Yuugi and Yami. "Relax your muscles."

The girl's wide eyes grew wider as he hoisted her half over his shoulder and swam doubletime towards shore while Hagrid called off the squid.

His Instructor had said that he had future potential in the Olympics. Right now, with the girl's fingernails digging into his shoulders and her bony body clutching his desperately, he felt like that might barely work for survival.

Boats came for the others in a moment, but Mokuba had already neared the shoreline. Hands pulled them out of the water, but the girl did not let go of him. He looked at her curiously and she suddenly flushed red and untangled herself from him. That was when the clapping started.

Fate. A Kaiba really cannot travel anywhere without being noticed.

&Harry&

Harry only had caught a glimpse of a couple other transfer students he had never seen before. Ryou had mentioned that some other students would be coming for scholarships (and also for his cover) and he had paused only briefly to wonder what they would be like. Now again, he wondered.

Harry didn't think things could be worse right now. Everything bad that could happen seemed to be happening. People whispered at him as he passed. They all thought that he was a liar. Cho had seen him covered in Stinksap. And then there was Ryou.

Ryou and Marik and Yuugi were as tightly knit as Hermione, Ron, and Himself. And their boggarts..

He pushed that unpleasant memory to the side. He would think about that later, when he wasn't tired or hungry or glaring at an explosion of pink.

He had gotten very fond of Ryou very fast. Yuugi was lovable and adorable and made Harry's heart melt when he smiled, but Ryou was relate-able and kind and Harry liked talking with someone who, he felt, understood.

And then he had seen Ryou conversing to the ferret and his crowd WITH A SMILE. Pug-nosed Pansy and rat-faced Draco Malfoy were standing there talking coolly to Ryou who was being just as polite as usual. And then they had all gotten into a carriage together. Drawn by those terrifying horse creatures...

Okay, so maybe Draco didn't have a rat-face. Fine. He was actually very easy on the eyes, the girls said, although Harry could never see beyond that horrible sneer. The silver-blonde hair and high sculpted cheekbones and pale grey eyes, Ginny said if you took them all apart and had them on their own, they would be breathtaking. But on Malfoy's face...ugh.

Well, Harry certainly agreed with the ugh part.

And then there was Toad-Woman. He had seen her at the trial. No way was he going to get along well with her...

His thoughts dispersed when the first years arrived. Some of them were wet, a little girl was wrapped in Hagrid's moleskin coat, and the crowd of them seemed quite breathless.

(A/N I know Hagrid was supposed to be away on his mission, but I had him return early for a reason!)

"Little accident with the squidy," Hagrid was saying to Dumbledore. "'Nessie's a bit lonesome."

"I see," said the Headmaster, light blue eyes serious. Then they softened as he smiled. "On with the Sorting."

And McGonagall put the sorting hat down on the familiar stool.

The brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song:

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

'Together we will build and teach!'

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might some day be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest.'

Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest.'

Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,'

Said Hufflepuff, Til teach the lot,

And treat them just the same.'

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with duelling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

Suddenly it paused and the strains to its voice became sadder:

And so the four must once again

Be four, then three, then two

And only one can remain and stand

To do what he must do

For Gods and Demons all alike

Gather beneath the burning sky

And although the strong will overcome

I fear that some might die...

Then it jolted itself, as if it had been falling asleep, and continued in brighter tones:

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

Isort you into houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfil my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether Sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you ...

Let the Sorting now begin.

The Hat became motionless once more; applause broke out, though it was punctured, for the first time in Harrys memory, with muttering and whispers.

All across the Great Hall students were exchanging remarks with their neighbours, and Harry, clapping along with everyone else, knew exactly what they were talking about.

"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.

"Too right it has," said Harry.

"I fear that some might die..." He'd be lying if he said that hadn't shaken him. Whenever he heard the word 'death' he saw Cedric's hollow body lying in front of him, empty and soulless...

The sorting went by with surprising speed, which was a good thing because they were very hungry. A sopping wet child appeared by their side and squeaked happily at them, mentioning something about a squid attacking the boats, which Harry was certain was a deep exaggeration.

Then finally, after Zeller, Rose, Dumbledore stood and spoke: "Something will happen today that has not happened in all my years in Hogwarts. It has not, in fact, happened for well over a century. We have received a handful of students, Years 1 to 6, from across the globe who wish to be educated here in our esteemed school. I wish for you all to make them feel very welcome and help them to understand our customs thoroughly. Give them a round of welcoming applause."

Then McGonagall cleared her throat, waited until the applause had died away, cleared her throat again, and then said: "First year, Kaiba Mokuba."

Sopping wet from head to toe, and yet somehow brimming with more dignity and elegance than Harry could achieve on a good day, Mokuba waltzed up to the hat without a care in the world. He blinked at it, before saying: "Well, I can't get any dirtier, I suppose" and put it on.

The whispers had started all around the hall. First year girls were smiling at him shyly and first years boys were sizing him up with slight admiration. One of the tables in particular, with a wet flushed girl with tangled hair watching him, eyes and cheeks glowing.

The hat was on his head for nearly one minute before it shouted: "better be, GRYFFINDOR!"

"Why is Flitwick...what is he doing...?" Hermione was muttering something, but Harry was too busy clapping and trying to see who the next person was.

"Third year, Ming, Tai." A girl with a long black ponytail and slanted eyes walked up to the hat and tried it on.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Fourth Year, Kawai, Shizuka."

Harry saw Mokuba give a visible start beside him as a pretty girl with auburn hair and large eyes. "Holy, holy..." Mokuba chanted. "That's Jou's sister..."

"The Jou that you said was like Ron?"

"The same."

"The Jou that was highly protective over said sister?"

"The very same. I had no idea she was a witch?" he paused. "That sounds wrong somehow."

"HUFFLEPUFF."

"Should have guessed it. Hm. Does Jounouchi even know?"

"Fifth year, Svalak, Ivan."

Hawk nosed and imperial, the boy ended up going to Slytherin.

"Sixth year, Bakura Ryou."

Ryou walked calmly across the hall and slipped the hat on his head. Whispers followed him.

"Is that a girl?" "No it's a boy!" "So cute, I want to hug him!" "Wait is that..." "Could that be..." "Oh my God it is..."

He was going to be a Hufflepuff, Harry knew it. He was too kind to be a Slytherin, too mild to be a Gryffindor, and not swotty enough to be a Ravenclaw. Plus, he was innocent enough to try to make friends with Slytherins! Just look at that soft smile and those huge, warm eyes!

The hat was quiet for a little while. It whispered something aloud that Harry couldn't catch.

"well then," it said, and its voice was altered. Hard and resigned. "SLYTHERIN!"

And Harry's jaw dropped onto the table.

&Ryou&

It was no surprise really. He knew that he'd get landed in either Ravenclaw or Slytherin. He tried to be loyal, he really did. And brave too. But cunning and intelligence were really the only reason he was still alive. That and Yuugi and Yami, who were surprising people/souls, having the traits of all the houses. Hufflepuff loyalty and Slytherin cunning to the extreme.

So when he walked calmly over to the green and silver table, listening to polite applause and catching Snape's unreadable eye (noticing also that Harry looked stunned beyond words) he sat calmly on a chair that a beaming Pansy Parkinson had pulled out for him.

"This is Daphne, and her little sister Astoria," she motioned to the girls on her left. Girls, you heard the hat, this is Ryou Bakura. We met him on the train."

Astoria caught his eye first. Now she was lovely. China-blue eyes that were limpid and pale as stars, and skin like porcelain. Her hair was the green-gold that maidens in fairytales had, and girls around the world tried to imitate. Astoria was delicate and angelic with rose-tinted lips and a light spray of near-invisible freckles that would fully fade within the year. Her smile probably transfixed wild beasts.

In a few years she would be a genuine heart-breaker.

Daphne was a taller double of her sister with hair that was barely silky brown with natural highlights of dark gold. Her eyes were not as limpid and pale as her sister's, but they were close.

Her jaw was a little different and her freckles had faded entirely, but otherwise they looked very alike, very lovely.

"Charmed," said Ryou, Astoria smiled at him with petal lips, turning his insides to a shameless pile of goo.

Daphne nodded politely and began some small talk with a girl across from her.

"Did you follow my advice?" whispered Pansy. "Threatened the hat? I was pretty sure you'd be a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw."

"I nearly landed in Ravenclaw," admitted Ryou quietly, "but after living with some peculiar people in Egypt, I guess it decided I was more cunning then simply intelligent."

She lifted her black brows. "Impressive, pet." Pansy smirked. "I shall be sure to introduce my apprentice to all the important Slytherin dignitaries, fear not!"

Ryou tried hard not to grimace. He quickly appeared to be interested in the sorting.

"Sixth year, Sai Goldfinch."

The hat sat on the thin boy with dark hair and glasses who appeared to be - like Ryou - half oriental, half American. Definite swot was his appearance. Ryou was impressed by this one fact.

^WHAT DO YOU MEAN GRYFFINDOR? RED DOESN'T MATCH MY COMPLEXION YOU STUPID ANIMATE OBJECT! PUT ME IN ONE OF THE HOUSES THAT DON'T HAVE IDIOTIC CHRISTMAS COLOURS IN AND I WON'T DESTROY YOU ENTIRELY!^

Ryou choked.

Swot, yeah right. It was nice to know who Marik was.

But wasn't he supposed to be UNDERCOVER? If Kaiba was here, he'd have killed him. It was a good thing no one here (besides the transfers) understood Japanese.

^OH YES I WILL CURSE YOU AND YOU WILL LIVE IN GREAT PERIL YOUR ENTIRE MISERABLE HALF-EXISTENCE!^ and then the hat began to change. It shouted: "GRYFFINDORNOWGETMEOFFHIMFAST!"

When Sai/Marik sat at the Gryffindor table, scowling, next to a perfectly smug Mokuba, the hat wheezed out: "Ravenclaw" for Jamal somethingoranother.

Ryou turned to his company and listened to Blaise Zabini outwit a Slytherin Seventh year.

&Harry&

After listening to that Umbridge woman's loathsomely long speech, Harry was starving nearly as much as Ron appeared to be. He had zoned out after the first few sentences anyway, and had instead looked at Cho, who appeared to glance occasionally in his direction, which made somersaults launch in his chest.

In fact, all the Ravenclaws were huddled together, and they seemed to be edging Cho onwards, prodding her. Harry felt suddenly very hot under the collar and had a sneaky suspicion of what they were on about.

"-see, the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts," said Hermione.

Harry didn't doubt it, but it finally seemed to sink in that moment, when the words came out of Hermione's mouth.

After Dumbledore finished his own, quicker speech, Harry saw Cho stand up - causing eyes to travel to her - and walk towards him. His heart leaped into his mouth, and he tried to remain calm. Calm, very calm. Calm was good...

You're always calm, said a snarky voice in his head. Like last year when you asked her out and she said no.

Shut up!

When the lovely Cho, with her chin sticking out slightly (as if to show her determination), walked over she did not turn to Harry with a smile. She did not slap Harry. She did not ask about Cedric's death.

She did not talk to Harry at all.

"Mokuba Kaiba?" she asked breathlessly, as if trying to conceal something in her tone. Her voice became even more would-be-casual. "Would you, by any chance, have any relation to...to Seto Kaiba?"

A knowing look passed over the long-haired boy's face.

"He's my brother," said Mokuba, smiling charmingly. As if people asked him that question all the time.

Then the really unexpected happened. Cho threw up her hand with a 'thumb's up' signal and said: "BROTHER!"

And then the whole table of Ravenclaw seemed to seep across the room and gather Mokuba onto their shoulders as if he was some kind of king.

"Don't mind me," he said to the gobsmacked hall at large, making himself comfortable in the many sets of arms. "Kidnapping is something of a formality at home."

And then they took him to the Ravenclaw table and gathered around him like he was some sort of god. Their voices were hushed, but excited and everyone squished to get closer to talk to him.

"Your brother is our HERO!" "Is it true that he defeated a grand-master in chess when he was only nine years old?" "We have a shrine to him in our common room!" "HE'S SOO HANDSOME! Is he still single?" "Do you have pictures?" "When's his birthday?" "Can you get me an autograph?" "Can you introduce us?"

The teachers stared and Flitwick smiled indulgently at his students. McGonagall cast him a side-long glance and he nodded.

Harry and Ron turned to Hermione. The girl was staring at Mokuba too now.

"Seto...Kaiba...I spoke with Seto Kaiba! I was wearing...oh no!"

"Um, Hermione. Who exactly is Seto Kaiba?" asked Neville Longbottom curiously.

It was not Hermione, but rather Dean Thomas who answered. "No idea he was a wizard! He's a famous Japanese Swot. A Ravenclaw prodigy if there ever was one! He began leading a multimillion dollar company when he was thirteen, and since then has made it a multibillion dollar company. The bloke owns about a third of Japan!"

Harry was stunned into speechlessness. That cold fish of a man that had arrived with Mokuba was a prodigy and ran his own company at thirteen. The Dursley's would LOVE to know him.

Ron asked: "Erm. What are dollars?"

Dean Thomas turned to Hermione. "Ron," she said, her voice more suited to a robot than a girl, "Imagine a room filled entirely with Galleons."

Ron took a deep breath with all the Gryffindors in earshot.

"Now," said Hermione, breathlessly, "imagine this room entirely filled with Galleons."

&Marik(ie. Sai)&

It was after midnight when he managed to sneak out of the Gryffindor common room. He had visited his Yami again, and it was only thoughts of best friend Ryou that were stopping him from becoming depressed.

It was Ryou that he was trying to see right now.

Marik was well practiced in the art of sneaking around. He had had to be in order to see the surface when his father was...still alive.

Marik swallowed. He glanced around, before stealing another sip from the Polyjuice Potion that he kept in a bottle labeled Asthma medication.

Damn his father! Damn him to the darkest shadows for reappearing again and again like a black stain long after he had died.

The arch on a passageway in front of him said *Horus is good* in correct Egyptian lettering.

Marik hurried through it. He no longer could focus on Shadow Magick well, and that wand - although the old coot at the shop said it was his - electrocuted him almost whenever he touched it.

He had attempted magick with it, and with results. Just not very pleasant ones. The wizards here would likely consider the after-effects...violent.

Perhaps powerful. But untamed. Untrained.

There was a movement ahead. A door creaked.

*White Mage?* he asked quietly, tapping on the door. *Am I to enter.*

*Enter Purple Mage,* replied a voice. *Gold Mage has sent a message. Blue Mage's location and doings are as of yet unknown.*

Marik entered. This room was breathing magick.

Ryou was sitting on a golden chair - rather like a throne - and idly playing with his green-and-silver tie.

Marik scowled, remembering his Gryffindork one. *Why didn't I get sorted into Slytherin! I wanted to be in the same house as you! And then the stupid inanimate hat says: 'You're not ambitious enough!' I tried to take over the WORLD! 'Plus, you're extremely brave', yeah like that's enough to make me happy. Hmph. I only went because one of us ought to watch out for Mokuba.*

Ryou smiled at him. He pulled out the Millennium Necklace. *I have seen something,* he admitted. *But it is nothing to worry about yet-*

A light shone through the keyhole, and Ryou and Marik froze.

The Egyptian Mage mouthed 'oh shit', and Ryou mouthed 'enchanted, no one should be able to get in'.

The light pooled like a thread spooling through the keyhole, until it formed the ghostly image of Shaadi.

*Why are you here?* demanded Marik, glaring hatefully at the spirit.

*Why am I ever around?* asked Shaadi condescendingly. *Someone has stolen an Item. And when I discover that the Tomb Keeper and the Tomb Robber are having a secret meeting, it is not hard to put two and two together.* He looked at the two with obvious distaste and dislike.

Ryou lifted the fist full of Millennium Necklace. *Listen, Shaadi,* he pleaded before Marik could voice his outrage. *Yuugi gave me the Millennium Necklace. I did not steal it. You can ask him or the Pharoah and they will confirm this.*

Shaadi snorted, and waved a transparent hand. *It is not the Necklace that has been stolen, Thief. There have been two Items taken. The Eye was stolen long ago, and I had not the chance to discover how or who. But now, one of my own have been taken. The Millennium Ankh - also called the Key - has been stolen from the TOmb the same time the Robber,* he looked at Ryou sharply, *was in it. I have pinpointed the Millennium magick of at least one of them to this castle. I demand you give up the Item. If you do it now, I will not Mindcrush you into oblivion.*

*Listen here, you fucking asshole!* Marik grabbed the spirit by the collar. Surprisingly, his fingers did make contact with the glowing robes. *Ryou is not his Yami! He would never steal an Item! NEVER! Especially one that ought to be Yuugi's. Ask your precious Pharoah, we are here with his knowledge and blessing. He agreed with this plan. And we have not stolen an Item!*

Shaadi smiled unpleasantly. *Ryou is not his Yami, that is true, Marik Ishtar. But can the same be said for you? You have never truly rid yourself of that darkness...* a glowing finger touched the skin above his heart. *Do you expect me to trust you? After all you have done? After all I know you will do?*

*What are you talking about?* now Ryou was the one who had raised his voice. *Shaadi, stop speaking in riddles! Marik has done nothing wrong! He will do nothing wrong. The past is forgotten, we will not fall again.*

*Ah, Ryou. He has not told you,* Shaadi sneered. *I thought not. I suppose you ought to hear my warning all the same. I doubt you will manage to do anything about it though.*

The Egyptian spirit with pupilless eyes smiled widely and spoke in a strange, echoing voice that came with his warnings.

*Your Nightmares have returned. You will have to face them once more. At the peaks of their power, at the peak of your anguish, you must fight. Or all with fail and you will fall. Death is among us once more. Your Olde Enemies have returned.*

Shaadi began to fade *I shall find the Pharaoh, Keeper, and he will be the only one I will protect. I care not if you die or the Robber's host. It will only make things easier. I will kill you if you take one action against him. When have you not betrayed? Why ought I give you a chance after all you have done. After all he has done...*

Marik and Ryou stared at the door when Shaadi had just been. *Marik?* asked Ryou quietly. *What did he mean? He said the darkness was still inside you...I know he was lying, but you looked so...*

*Guilty?* choked Marik, deathly pale and shaking. *It's nothing, Ryou. Shaadi's always hated us. We were never good enough to be helpers of the Pharaoh. We were always too dark, too tainted. What I worry about is what he said about the old enemies returning. Specifically OUR old enemies returning.*

Ryou's clenched fists were shaking. There was no question of whom Shaadi spoke pertaining to him. *Perhaps he was lying! He said that if we died he would not care less, why should he warn us?*

*That's true,* said the Egyptian Mage, straining to feel hope and falling short. An unpleasant creeping in his chest had come when Shaadi's words had hit a little close to home.

*You should probably get some sleep, Ryou. We need to think this over. I will talk to you tommorrow.*

Marik watched Ryou smile and yawn and wave goodbye in a very plastic fashion. Ryou was not reassured very much, but far more than Marik had been. Ryou had no reason to believe Bakura could come back...

*I would have told you...* whispered Marik after Ryou had long since left the room. *I would have told you he was still here.*

Marik covered his eyes, afraid to let the empty room swallow his tears.

*But I don't want you to hate me.*

* * *

><p>REVIEW!<p>

Next should be Confrontations with Harry and Draco, Kaiba on the move, and Yuugi's Magick training!

Due to busy Christmas Shenanigans I doubt I'll be able to update soon (like I haven't recently) but I'll try my best (If you REVIEW :D)


	15. Chapter 15

/mind to mind/  
>*Egyptian*<br>^Japanese^ &a change of perspective&

Okay I admit it.

I came so close to abandoning this story because of so many reasons. But then I received some of your reviews, which melted me a little inside. And I couldn't let my fans down :D so I - drumroll please - decided to update.

Ryou: zzzzzzzz...*wakes up suddenly* sorry, did you say something?

Marik: nothing of note *rolls over* go back to sleep. The author'll probably forget about us for another six months before updating again. Don't bother moving.

Mokuba *chibi eyes*: Unless there are MANY reviews.

**WARNING! The first part of this was originally intended to be a gag chapter. BE NOT OFFENDED IF IT IS UNLIKE PREVIOUS PARTS OF THE STORY.**  
><strong>WARNING!<strong>

* * *

><p>The Boy-Who-Lived-Despite-Occasionally-Suicidal-Wishes was torn between banging-his-head-against-the-local wall-for-stress-relief-from-Insane-House-Members and hexing said house member with the dirtiest spells he could think of.<p>

Sai Goldfinch was nothing but trouble.

In the first morning of the first school day, he had already set fire to the curtains, charmed Dean's nose purple and furry, and made Lavender have to hop around on one foot squeaking: 'I am a duck! Quack! Quack!' in intensely serious tones.

Okay, so the last one was rather funny...

Harry tried to hide a snicker, then felt his head churn and remembered why he was about to bang his head against aforementioned local wall.

Mokuba Kaiba had spent all dinner talking with the Ravenclaws, spent his first night in Hogwarts reading his textbooks(somehow sneaking after curfew), and managed to be in the Great Hall by six the next morning.

He introduced himself to Sai, mentioning that he had heard of him before, and asking if he had, in fact, been the one who managed to hang Filch upside-down under a moving staircase.

Sai had smirked.

Harry seriously wondered how this boy had managed to avoid Slytherin. He hadn't appeared to be very happy when the hat said Gryffindor. In fact, he had scowled and pouted about it last night - being insolent to the prefects and asking questions in a slow, childish voice insinuating that the person he was speaking to had an IQ of a five year old.

Umbridge already did that. He did not need a second pink nightmare.

The crowd of first years had been following Mokuba everywhere, awestruck. Harry found out that the boy had managed to save a damsel in distress on his arrival across the lake.

He didn't dislike Mokuba at all. It was the fact that Mokuba had taken a friendly shine to Sai, and now the others were following suit.

Now Sai had taken things too far. Despite saying that he 'really had no idea that this spell meant that', Harry was sure the half-American boy was lying.

He had spelled Harry to sing sappy love songs whenever the snarky Potions Master passed by.

It was gradually fading, but it didn't stop Harry from getting thirty points off Gryffindor in their first Potions Lesson.

Sai didn't seem to care at all. He blew up a caldron - promptly blaming it on the first person he spotted near him (which happened to be Hermione) - and earned a Slytherin badge of honor for being able to do so much damage to his own house.

Transfiguration was no better. In a different way.

Sai turned his bird into a writing desk (1) before changing it into a mirror, in which he immediately began primping. Then it turned into a magazine with...curious pictures.

McGonagall politely - through gritted teeth - explained that he was supposed to turn the creature into a patterned cushion.

Sai looked up at her with a surprised expression, then waved the wand lazily and turned the magazine advertising the size of a woman's breasts into a lumpy pillow with a big smilie face painted on.

McGonagall was taken aback. "You wouldn't happen to be related to a Black, would you Mr. Goldfinch?"

"Now, now, Minnie," said the charming young man in a soothing manner. "Racism is not appreciated."

Another earned detention, another Slytherin badge.

Why did Sai always end up sitting next to him, Harry wondered. Sai was a magnet for trouble and seemed to delight in it.

It was only when luncheon came around that he realized it could get worse.

Draco Malfoy was talking with Ryou Bakura who was wrinkling his cute little nose and nodding occasionally. Pansy was watching with a very strange expression. It was almost...sappy.

Then it morphed into an evil grin and gleaming dark eyes.

Okay...Harry was officially weirded out.

"Potter, what are you doing around here?" Harry had unconsciously stepped one foot closer to the Slytherin table then was mutually acceptable.

Draco Malfoy was glowering at him in a distinctly I-am-going-to-kill-you-slowly-by-hacking-your-head slowly-off-your-shoulders-with-a-blunt-axe-but-not-before-abandoning-my-aristocratic-cool-and-laughing-manically-while-I-dance-on-your-blood-soaked-grave.

Or it could have been Die-Idiot-DIE!

"You know, you two should stop staring at each other so much," said Sai who randomly managed to appear beside Harry. The boy nodded thoughtfully. "It really looks like you two are trying to discretely check each other out. Get a room already!"

Something inside Harry died. He believed it was called hope.

"Sexual Tension High in Hogwarts?" Sai mused, nodding appreciatively. "I could probably get a paper on that. The newspaper always like to hear about the latest scandal written by young, promising students who are fond of overusing exclamation marks."

Half the inhabitants of the Hall were coughing on their food. Fred and George were in hysterics.

The Slytherins were dumbfounded for the most part. Draco Malfoy's eyes were wide in horror and a faint pink was in his pale cheeks.

A small voice picked up from the table of green and silver.

"Unlikely. You should collect more data if you want the story to work, Goldfinch. If you really want it popular throw in a third wheel to this exciting romance."

Ryou...bloody hell!

The whitenette primly wiped his unsoiled lips on a serviette. "Now, I'd go for a female as a third wheel. Add some variety. Perhaps this is a one-sided crush, a mere momentary infatuation. Does the love run deep under all that all-too-obvious-hate-that-is-likely-hiding-a-deeper-emotion. Perhaps Malfoy needs to assert his domination of Potter, and in this way tries to outwit him and defeat him. Potter on the other hand may be the one pressing his suit in the manner he finds best, proving his worth to the dashing Malfoy by excelling at everything he does! Who shall give way first, why must this agony go on?"

Sai was staring at the Slytherin as if he had never seen him before. "Sai Goldfinch." He held out his hand.

"Ryou Bakura," replied the Slytherin, shaking it cordially. "Now, Cassiopea do you have that all written down?"

A timid - no longer! - second year Slytherin nodded, brandishing quill and pad like a weapon.

"First Installation to Daily Prophet," said Ryou coolly. "I'll send my owl off with it."

"You can't do that!" shrieked Ron Weasley.

"I don't believe you've given me any...incentive to do otherwise?" Ryou lifted delicate brows and Sai cackled.

Harry swallowed. Just what had happened to Ryou, the sweet boy who listened to him thoughtfully and told him about his mother and sister's deaths?

These Slytherins were influencing him badly! He had to do something about it.

Needless to say, by dinnertime, all Slytherins and Gryffindors managed to cough up something to stop this story from going 'viral'. One of the green house's members had tried to steal the notepad from Cassiopea Nightwing. It had thirteen curses on it that involved three hospital trips and elephant ears.

Once Ryou managed to cordially receive all the blackmail presents, and offered Cassiopea a creampuff that Mokuba had kindly given him a box of, he sat back at the Slytherin table, ignoring the gaping mouths of teachers.

"Young man...did you just..."

"It's his birthday today," said Mokuba, snickering. "He just wanted to find an original way to procure presents. Nii-sama would totally approve!"

This time all the other students did choke on their meal. With three exceptions. Sai laughed aloud. Pansy HUGGED Ryou and offered him a dumpling. Blaise Zabini lifted a black brow and turned to Theodore Nott.

"And you thought he'd be a Hufflepuff."

This was the reason Harry now wished to off himself. Even though the story had not been leaked (the Slytherins had a healthy fear of a Malfoy's wand work) random students giggled about it in hallways and Parvati and Lavender began to bring popcorn to Potions classes 'to watch the romantic drama with'!

Snape didn't bat an eyelid. He took points from Gryffindors, but seemed to neither like nor dislike Ryou. The albino was horribly polite to the greasy git and never contradicted him even when Snape was making cutting remarks about Sai's potion.

Sai glared at Snape, and told the Potion's Master to 'get stuffed.'

Ryou face-palmed.

Harry had never seen anyone actually face-palm before. He realized he was stared when Ryou glanced up and smiled at him. He nudged Draco who was beside him and pointed.

Did Draco just turn pink again? Wait...did he just call him DRACO?

"Can it, Bakura!" the Malfoy hissed, swirling his robes and stalking to another seat.

"Unrequited love..." said Sai in a stage whisper and Lavender and Parvati burst into laughter that would have made a hyena cringe.

Did Snape just crack a smirk. No. It was a trick of the light.

Harry shivered.

* * *

><p>In all his years of...well, aside from eleven years in Azkaban and the time in school, he hadn't been around all that much...but in all his years, Sirius Orion Black had never been in quite a situation.<p>

"Let me get this straight," he gulped down yet another shot of Firewhiskey - to which Molly gave a disapproving look which made him want to give her the finger badly - "You want ME," he gestured drunkenly to himself, "To TEACH?" he hiccuped and flourished an arm vaguely in the direction of the hall, "Yuugi Moooootouu MAGIC?"

Dumbledore nodded serenely. There was that damned twinkle in his light blue eyes. Sirius found - in this state - that he did not like being on the receiving end of it. That was Snape's job - slimy Slytherin deserved being put in that position! - not his!

"Yeah!" he said suddenly. "Okay."

Sirius Black held out an object; an empty shot glass dangling between thumb and forefinger.

"Get me another one?"

So this was why, on September 2nd, he was stuck in the Black's family library 'fishing for knowledge' as Remus had once called it. (I was eleven, fuck you Padfoot!) Ehem.

When a third book landed on his head -nearly knocked him out- before jumping up on squat green legs and running away cackling, Sirius gave it up as a bad job and instead wracked his brains for the early tests they had done between Maurading and humiliating Slytherins.

"Is Master looking for anything?" a familiar, decidedly creepy voice spoke almost in his ear.

"Dammit Kreacher!" snapped Sirius, jumping, before swatting the house-elf away roughly. "What I am doing is none of your business!"

"Whatever the Master believes," crooned Kreacher sickly. His eyes were bright with malice.

Sirius was not falling for the old elf's ploys. He recalled the same elf locking him away in the basement after his parents had found out that he had been sorted into Gryffindor. Kreacher had laughed at him as he banged on the door uselessly, screaming for them to let him out, and he had never forgotten the sound.

An idea struck him. "Kreacher, Master wants you to find a teacher's addition of years one to five. It should be somewhere around."

Kreacher narrowed his eyes and hid a scowl. "Whatever Master wants," he muttered, glowering.

* * *

><p>I hope Anzu and Jou and Honda are okay./ Yuugi leaned back on the step he was sitting on. The stairs were a comfortable place to view newcomers and had the screen of a rail to blur his presence. There was also the familiarity of the gesture; sitting on the stair...waiting for the parents to come home. He had been a six year old in pajamas when he sat there until grandpa peeled him away from the rail...waiting for them...

The resolve in Yami's voice was untouchable. /They will be./

Yuugi's link trembled like a wave of laughter turned a little hysterical /And if they try to go after Otagi, he'll probably just turn them into drooling fangirls. I mean/ he made his mind accented with some effort /dat ass.../

A pause, and then. /I will never understand modern youth./

Yuugi snickered; enjoying the pharaoh's moment of discomfort. /You'll never get any if you act like such a prude, you know./

/And you've been hanging around Marik far too much. For shame! Everyone thinks you're a little innocent; imagine if they could hear you right now./ Yami's voice turned sly suddenly. /But if I did want to 'get some' as you say, you realize that I would need your body./

Yuugi turned green quite suddenly. Table turning was what Yami did best, damn that Pharaoh. /Actually I hear long term celebacy invokes a greater knowledge and wisdom. You don't need sex...heh.../

Quite suddenly the dark mind turned cold. /Besides, who would I be able to share intimacy with here? We are to not leave this decaying building directly./

/Rules are made to be broken,/ reminded Yuugi flippantly, trying with his usual quiet means to keep spirits light - pun fully intended. Something was bothering Yami. Something that Yuugi ought to know but kept evading his grasp and trickling out his fingers like water through a fist.

Another pause; longer, and then. /Yes. I reiterate. You have been spending far too much time around Marik./

Yuugi gave a sort of bittersweet smile. /Actually I was just copying Jou and Mai - she was the one who said that about Otagi's ass - and stopped at the part where they decided to liplock and upset the dining table./

There was a little silence. /I miss Jou.../

Yami sighed, and there was a trace of overwhelming weariness in the gesture. He was tired, so very, very tired. Because if anyone had taken the tablet, they had known what they were looking for. And they were dangerous. So very dangerous.

Marik being held down by elders as his father raised a knife and pressed down on bare skin...a small boy with white hair and a dozen life-like dolls slipping through his fingers...laughing...crying...

Sometimes it was best not to remember. Yami tried not to muse on those implications. Because he did...he did remember...

/Mai will be there with him. That woman is sharp enough to keep him out of trouble if anyone can. And you know Tristan will protect Anzu to the best of his abilities. We will be safe, Aibou./

A creak on the floor below and a loud curse abruptly muted.

/Look's like our teacher's preparing./ Jou would get along with their teacher splendidly. Tristan too. He really should do some introductions when this was all over.

Because they would still be around. Of this Yuugi was certain.

* * *

><p>Yuugi Motou was a cute kid. He wasn't snobbish like a Slytherin, and he wasn't walking with his head around in a book like a Ravenclaw. This might actually work.<p>

Sirius cleared his throat, well aware that he hadn't shaved and the room he was standing in should have been classed as a national disaster.

"We're going to start with basic charms."

And that was how it started.

Yuugi was smart, but sadly lacking in the usual education and often asked bizarre questions like _'Why exactly does magic effect electricity?'_ and _'if I transfigured that dead rat into a bone, where would the moisture from the blood go?'_

To which Sirius said: "Read this." and shoved a book on Divination towards Yuugi for no apparent reason.

Yuugi did, however pick up on charms with ease. His wand was short, like him, and made from a golden-brown wood that Sirius had never seen before.

Once, the kid asked brightly why there was a surge of positive power with dispelling charms when the surge was negative with levitating charms.

Sirius gave him the Divination book again, nearly tearing the front page in his haste.

Yuugi seemed to be pretty happy with his studies, but Sirius was sweating it out until they reached Defense against the Dark Arts.

That class had always been a breeze - and fun too!

He saw no harm in scaring the boy a little. Yuugi could handle it, he told himself as he began to go into detail over the feeding habits of mad olde vampires.

Yuugi.

Did.

Not.

Bat.

An.

Eyelash.

"Oh yes, Ryou told me all about that. It does seem very hard on the human when the vampire forgets to break the neck in that instance," he gestured to the picture in the book Sirius was holding, "Ryou thought it was fascinating that the main veins they go for are the..."

Ryou? _Ryou Bakura_ - the small albino boy with large innocent eyes (like Yuugi's rather, in fact) who probably couldn't swat a fly without feeling guilt - thought that vampires' feeding habits were _fascinating?_

He wasn't talking about the little children's versions either. This was the real stuff and it was **GORY**. James had peed his pants when he'd read up on it in the third year. (He had gotten the fifth year's version, which was later adjusted to appear less horrifying and graphic).

Sirius' eyes drifted to the page open on his lap.

_*The Bloode Demon then tears open the human jowls to be assured that if the human is turned by accident or design, he will not overpower his Sire and drain the black blood from his own cursed veins.*_

Yuugi sighed quietly. "I feel sorry for the vampire."

Sirius stared. Sirius gaped. "For the vampire?!"

Large amethyst eyes, utterly devoid of guile, met his. "But of course! The poor thing's gone mad! I can only imagine what kind of horrible thing could put a vampire in that state when mentally and physically they are supposed to be a great deal stronger than humans!"

Sirius Black decided that day that Yuugi was a good kid, but he had a very strange outlook on life. It was quite refreshing. About as much as it was exasperating.

You just couldn't win when someone said that no person was evil without reason. (Even if the reason isn't a particularly good one, Yuugi had added quickly.)

Dumbledore said something very similar once.

Sirius was afraid. very afraid. If Yuugi started offering him lemon drops he was quitting immediately, promises be damned!

Somewhere - he was sure - an old Headmaster was sitting with a smile on his lips and an unnerving twinkle in his light blue eyes.

* * *

><p>Zigshak curled his long goblin fingers over the roll of parchment. If he held tightly enough, he could feel the press of ink and blotting salt.<p>

If he held it tightly enough, he could pretend that he was crushing the written words out of existence.

The morning air had a clean, cold snap to it, like the pleasant feel of polished marble in a clear-grey autumn afternoon.

September had started with a strange chill. If Zigshak had believed in foreboding, he might have used that very term to describe the shifting wind and the cold, smiling face of Nature breathing frost against the windows.

But Zigshak did not believe in foreboding.

As High Treasurer and keeper of deepest vaults in Gringotts, Zigshak was unsurprised when he was informed that his presence was needed. He had duly placed the four lead paperweights on each corner of the report he had been addressing, and covered it with a thin slab of pinewood.

The HumanInteractions committee had said that the faint smell of pine made 70+% of humans more comfortable in a office. He did not care for humans, but schematics were important and so was business. That was the only reason he caved at all.

In a few minutes another wizard would speak to him. Another wretched wizard would attempt to use him - like one would use an owl. A slave. A lesser being.

His lip curled back. Let the wizards fight their battles. The less wizards the better. Meanwhile, the goblins would live on; having made themselves necessary for both sides.

Let all those humans be punished for their crimes. This war was nothing less than what they deserved.

While he waited in his High office, the stacks of parchment fluttered like many butterfly wings. It was a crisp sound and strangely nostalgic.

There was no wind in the High office.

If he had believed in foreshadowing, he would have recognized the signs and not let the visitor step over the threshold. He would have stopped this meeting long before it had a chance to start and would have placed one name on red alert.

But Zigshak did not believe in foreshadowing.

So when the muted clarity of important footsteps beside a lower goblin's carried through the door, Zigshak merely said: "Seto Kaiba, I presume?"

"Your presumption would be correct."

He glanced up at the young face that had grown old too quickly and the blazing chill of shaded blue eyes. Seto Kaiba was dangerous. Seto Kaiba was a customer.

"I hear you wish to obtain a vault in the lower levels."

"I do."

Seto Kaiba fluidly seated himself opposite Zigshak, looking entirely at home upon doing so. (He wrinkled his nose, much like Zigshak had, at the smell of pine.) There was the simple importance in the brief replies. He did not try for grandiose because it was unnecessary.

His voice had a low, cold ring to it like the sharp, crystalline bat of a silver spoon against an emperor's glass.

It was the voice of a general who had sacrificed his men at the drop of a hat. A hat that had 'correct protocol' written across the brim.

And yet, Seto Kaiba did not look like a wizard.

He wore a navy trenchcoat with silver buttons and white lining. His dark boots were buckled over multiple times with pale, shiny material that Zigshak had only ever seen muggles and muggleborn use.

At odds was the black string around his neck that dipped into a rectangular...was that a card? The rough colour added a strange sense of grounding to the fine material and the fact that he had not removed it when his uniform was concluded spoke volumes.

There was the odd outline of a dragon emblazoned on his uniform. Perhaps it was a Japanese symbol. He had never seen head or tail of it. And he had seen many, many family and magic symbols alike.

Seto Kaiba's fingers were long for a human's. Zigshak noted this with subtle curiousity. He had made a note of those with longer fingers; deeper intelligence in matters of money.

That or a musician, but he'd eat his ingots if Seto Kaiba made his wealth as a musician.

The black kid gloved fingers laced themselves together over a crossed knee in a very familiar manner.

Politician.

"The deeper vaults have thirty percent higher cost," he began, attempting for a apologetic smile, and probably looking more like a nasty bully. "The amount could be crippling for any small pile of Galleons."

He never, ever had dissuaded a customer from buying like he was doing now. It was the oddest, most outrageous thing he had done in his life. Zigshak felt a strange welling of merged anxiety and power.

Seto Kaiba did not blink.

"Understood," he drew a slip of paper - not parchment, lily white paper that smelled like days underground - out of the inner lining of his coat, and pushed it before Zigshak with a flourish from the edge of his fingers. "This is the amount I wish to deposit."

The High Treasurer realized with a bizarrely calmed sense of overwhelming that Seto Kaiba was already on his list of top ten customers.

"I see," Zigshak cleared his throat and scribbled down some details on a ledger. His voice did not alter a breath. "I'll need three drops of your blood."

He held out the parchment and watched as the young man removed his left glove and poked the back of his hand with a penknife as smoothly as if he did this every day.

One. Two. Three. The red blots looked like bright spots of ink on the parchment.

"And three more," Zigshak used tongs to lift a silver ring encrusted with a clear, glassy stone.

One. Two. Three. The stone dipped red, then blue, and carved words appeared on the inside of the silver band. 'Kaiba, Seto'.

"You may wear this to enter your vault. Only the deeper vaults use Shadow Rings."

Kaiba gave a little cold chuckle that was almost identical to Prince Ragnok's. Zigshak found the comparison was frightening. "Is that what they are called?" he breathed.

He slipped it on the third finger of his left hand.

The lights flickered momentarily, giving Kaiba's eyes the appearance of flashing dark.

"Are all the Rings like this?"

"The colour is different for the person, but yes. They are alike, for the most part."

"I see." And he must have, for there was something in that voice that Zigshak did not understand. An eerie feeling grew and was pushed away.

"You have seen one before, of course."

"Yes," he brushed the stone gently with his right thumb. His voice was silky and dangerous and gave Zigshak a strange mental image of the opening of Pandora's box and a world of darkness rushing out. "I have."

Seto Kaiba covered the mark of damaged skin with a fragment of something clear and shiny before he slipped off the ring and returned the glove to his hand.

"You did not use magic?" Zigshak's tone was mild, but something stirred within his blood.

Seto Kaiba's reply will be recorded in the list of Goblin Transactions and Annomallys. Or, for a more accurate term, the list of Human Statements that Thunderstruck Goblins.

"I do not believe in magic. However, if I must be pent up with madmen, I might as well earn something for my pains."

Zigshak said nothing as he led Kaiba to the vaults. This was highly out of order, as he had stacks of work upstairs waiting for him, but Seto Kaiba was as abnormal as he had ever seen a wizard and that intrigued him a little.

He would, of course, never admit to this.

"Are females disallowed to work here?" asked Kaiba, after they had seated themselves in a cart. "I didn't notice any in the main building."

zigshak again felt every drop of blood inside his veins beating a tattoo against each other. He could not recall ever having been asked such a thing before. "Our females do not like to deal with humans," he said shortly. "They would not be able to efficiently keep our clients. It is their own wish that disallows their presence."

Kaiba's eyes had been closed when Zigshak had turned to face him. Now they slitted open so that a sliver of blue observed him.

There was no condescension in his voice as he spoke, just cool, clipped statement of fact.

"Is that not detremental to company earnings? Why not give them jobs where they do not come into contact with humans regularly? Statistics reveal that having a twenty-five percent allowance of women in a primarily male company increases earnings by thirty-eight-point-five percent."

The cart started.

"The chances of finding positions that never enteract with humans are not entirely low, but twenty-five percent is certainly," Zigshak replied, trying not to sound interested.

"Then let them take down children," said Seto Kaiba softly, cool voice somehow discernible above the shrieking of cart wheels on rails "Feminine traits demand a soft spot for the young of any kind."

Zigshak had never wanted to hire a human before. Now the want was a little overwhelming. And yet there was something about this wizard - no, this human - that bristled him beyond reason.

It did not make him angry...no, that was the odd thing...it made him cold and a little afraid.

It had taken him a while to fit the word with the feeling. Zigshak could not recall having been afraid like this before. The one time fear had ever come into his equation was when the tunnels collapsed years ago in the new constructed areas and they had lost thousands of Galleons as consequence.

He had never feared a wizard before. Not Dumbledore, not Riddle (oh yes, the goblins knew his real name). Both had all the potential of killing them but death was not what Zigshak was frightened of.

what was he frightened of...what swathed Seto Kaiba like a robe - like a shadow - and crept up his collar like ice cold sweat...?

Kaiba did not flinch when the cart sailed downwards like a falling tornado. He tapped the vehicle with one-fingered bored indifference and kept his eyes on the rocky ceiling.

His trenchcoat flapped wildly around him, silver buttons glinting in the flicks of light from the passing lamps that lit sapphires in his eyes.

He was...impressive. Imposing. Powerful.

And yet, not once in the proceedings had he looked down on Zigshak. He had been curt, sharp; dislikable by all human reasoning - but there it was: Zigshak was not human.

If Seto Kaiba had been a goblin, Zigshak would have gone as far as to say he liked him instantly. As it was, there was one human he did not quite detest.

"Is this the only wizarding bank in England?" asked his tall companion, eyes clear with calculation.

Zigshak nodded, mouth tightening with his eyes.

Seto Kaiba 'tsk'ed'. "So you cannot refuse clients?"

Zigshak said nothing at first. Then "Are you planning on making yourself likely to be refused?"

His tone was downright rude. The cruel grin on his face even more so. Bluntness rubbed arrogant wizards up the wrong way. It was different with goblins...it always had been different with goblins...

Seto Kaiba snorted. "Unlikely, but who knows." He tapped the cart lightly, murmuring to himself. "A branch...that is it! A branch of your bank renamed and run by humans. Then clients may be refused in Gringotts and the price may be raised in the branch."

The cart swirled downwards and rushed past a dark hulking shape, but all Zigshak could see were Galleons.

He forgot the danger spinning around his companion. He forgot the cold sweat that had risen on his prickling skin. He forgot the way Kaiba's eyes had darkened in the room upstairs when he had looked at the ring.

"You are unlike any of my cliental," admitted Zigshak brusquely, looking a little bemused.

"Your clients are idiots and psychos," said Seto Kaiba flatly. "But they have their uses."

Zigshak smirked widely. He could not help it. The deep rumbling laughter that did not spill out of his lips coloured his low voice. "What do you have planned?"

And the temperature dropped from cool to chilling as Seto Kaiba smiled.

By the end of that day Zigshak would be convinced that Seto Kaiba was a Goblin Warlock. He was merely hiding beneath human skin.

The Treasurer might even go as far to say he'd feel a measure of sorrow when the time came to kill him.

* * *

><p>That button below there...press it! You know you want to! REVIEW! REVIEW!<p>

Serious happenings with Ryou and Marik...ehem...SAI will come forthwith. They are simply coping with anxiety in their own ways.

Seto Kaiba has seen a ring like that before...the question is WHERE?


	16. SnippetFillerThingUNEDITED-IGNORE!

"Just spit it out mate? What were they?"

Hermione shot Ron an exasperated look, before turning back to the glasses-donned Gryffindor. "Harry-"

"I've been thinking about showing Dumbledore, actually," admitted Harry. "I think he ought to know...but it's just..."

Harry had put off telling the other two about the boggarts. He wasn't planning on telling them at all before they arrived at Hogwarts, but with Marik nowhere in sight and Ryou as a Slytherin...

A small pang in his chest made its presence known. Why? Why Slytherin? Ryou was better then any member of that stupid dark house!

Hermione gave him a knowing look and hushed Ron. The Weasley teenager began to speak again but Harry felt a movement under the table and knew from experience (with a grimace) that the bushy-haired prefect had kicked her fellow prefect hard in the shin.

Harry stabbed a piece of bacon viciously. Ryou was currently across the room and seated beside Pansy Parkinson of all people, smiling at something she had said. He laughed a moment later, dimples appearing in his beaming, adorable face.

The bacon was mutilated in the next few moments. The fork ended up with a prong missing and the others bent haphazardly.

Sai Goldfinch appeared beside them suddenly. He helped himself to a large assortment of unknown foods that Harry had not even noticed and ate them with impeccable manners. Mokuba sat down next to the very Ravenclaw-looking boy and smiled at him in a shockingly sly manner.

"The Slytherin common room is below ground, I heard," said Mokuba conversationally. "It's a good thing we're in a tower."

Sai's hand froze on his fork. "Indeed."

Mokuba smiled again, very sweetly this time, and nodded in Ryou's direction. "He would get sorting into a house for cunning, wouldn't he? Nii-sama said so. I was so certain it would be Ravenclaw. Despite his Hufflepuff appearance, I think that's the last house Ryou would get thrown into."

And with a little shrug, the young Kaiba dug into his food with cultured relish.

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione in a would-be-casual tone.

Mokuba blinked. "Oh. Ryou. Hn. From what I know of him...which is quite a lot considering...he wouldn't fit well into Gryffindor. At all." He grinned. "He's not actually a coward, but he has convinced himself he is. I suppose when you've been around Yuugi and Jou enough, everyone starts to feel a little cowardly and ineffective."

He stared at some random object just below the enchanted ceiling, tapped a choice piece of cuttlery against the table, "Hufflepuff is a definite no. Ryou is a hard worker, but he's not exactly loyal in the conventional sense..." Mokuba bit his lip. "He has always given his loyalties to the wrong person, so he no longer trusts anyone too much anymore."

Harry glanced at a beaming Ryou next to a laughing first-year and then back at the long-haired boy who was looking at him and speaking so seriously.

"Ravenclaw is for intelligence they say. No. Not exactly. Hermione managed to be a Gryffindor and apparently she's the smartest witch here-" Hermione flushed brightly "-and my brother is the most intelligent person I have ever met and he'd never go to Ravenclaw. Two seconds under that hat and it would scream 'a million percent Slytherin!'. Cunning is the appliance of knowledge, and that is Nii-sama's forte. Ryou would have to be of that sort for my brother to acknowledge his presence without sneering or glaring. Ravenclaw is for those who want knowledge for knowledge. Gryffindor need it for adventure, Hufflepuff for basic useful purposes, and Slytherin-"

"Talking about us now, are you Gryffindorks?"

Of course the green ties would appear as soon as they were mentioned. Perhaps they had some sort of magic keyed on for that reason only.

It wasn't Draco Malfoy who had spoken this time. It was Theodore Nott. That was odd.

Malfoy sneered at them in passing, but hovered around when he heard the next remark.

"Baiting newbies, are you Death-Eater wannabe?"

Shut up Ron, shut up! Harry didn't want to deal with this first thing in the morning. Especially not with Ryou glancing over. Especially not when the albino drifted their way with the rest of the fifth year Slytherins.

Mokuba ignored Theo, he beamed suddenly and waved at Ryou. "Happy birthday RYOU!" he screamed across the room. "Marik promised to cut me up into many unrecognizable pieces unless I followed through on delivering your presents!"

The hall froze.

"Well, I can't have you mutilated on my account," Ryou opened wide, innocent fawn eyes. "Your brother would start a blood feud and that would be horribly messy."

Sai snickered.

Everyone stared. Stared. Stared.

"WHAT?"

"Huh?" 


End file.
